What's it all about?

I thought that news story a couple of weeks ago about the IRA stealing some hunting rifles was a bit weird. Whether through donations or proceeds of other activities you'd think they'd have enough money just to buy the rifles? I daresay anyone buying that kind of thing in Northern Ireland probably attracts some attention, but not as much as by robbing them. 

I'm sure this story, like any story about the IRA, could only appear in the British media with the blessing (if not the outright authorship) of the secret service. What does it all mean?