Garda impersonator ‘whipped wallet out of hand’ and took off

A GLENVIEW man who was the victim of an alleged theft by a man impersonating a garda outside the PoitÍn Stil in Rathcoole last week is speaking out to prevent others from falling for the scam.

The resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said he had just parked his car outside the pub on the afternoon of November 1 when he was approached by another man.

“I was only going into the pub, I’d just parked my car and got out of it, when this car pulled up beside me,” the Tallaght resident told The Echo.

“A man got out of it, and he said to me, ‘Have you been drinking?’. I said no.

“He asked if I had any identification and showed me a garda hat that was on his passenger seat.

“I gave him my driver’s licence, and when I thought he was giving it back to me, he whipped my wallet out of my hand, and he was gone – he took off from the Poitin Stil.”

The wallet contained the victim’s public services card, two bank cards and €300 cash, and the thief also took his driver’s licence.

The impersonator was in a dark-coloured car with yellow reg plates, and he was aged in his 50s and spoke with a northern accent, according to the victim.

“I just want people to be very wary of people, even though I was a bit gullible to look at the hat and think he was a guard,” said the man.

“I wouldn’t say it was the first time he did this. He was very plausible as a guard in his manner, and he was quite friendly.”

The Echo contacted An Garda Síochána for comment, but a response wasn’t received at the time of going to print.