Motorists warned to keep car doors locked
By Mary Dennehy
MOTORISTS have been warned to keep their car doors locked at all times as gangs target vehicles stopped at traffic lights, parked in shopping centres or pulling into estates, with young bandits opening doors and grabbing handbags, shopping and other valuables.
Reports of gangs targeting both drivers and taxis have this week been posted on the Tallaght Neighbourhood Watch Facebook page, with Garda sources confirming that a number of incidents have been reported to Tallaght Garda Station.
People have taken to Facebook to warn motorists and taxi drivers to keep their doors locked at all times, due to a reported increase in the number of cars being allegedly targeted by gangs both in shopping centres and estates.
A senior Garda source told The Echo that a number of incidents have been officially reported where handbags have been stolen off front passenger seats, after shoppers placed them there before going to their boot to pack away shopping.
The source said: “We would encourage people to keep their handbag on them at all times or else put it in the boot first and then start unloading your shopping.
“These lads are opportunistic and are on the lookout for an easy grab.
“There has been more reported incidents in shopping centres down around the Rathfarnham area than in Tallaght, but we encourage all shoppers and motorists to be vigilant of their security at all times and not to leave anything of value on display.”
A number of the online reports, suggest that taxi drivers are also being targeted, mainly drivers who are dropping shoppers home from local retail centres.
The Garda source could not confirm all of the reports, however the officer did say that there has been a small number of incidents with taxi drivers – most recently on Tuesday, December 15, when two lads jumped into a cab in Tallaght and tried to rob the driver’s coin dispenser.
A Garda patrol car was in the area at the time and apprehended one of the two culprits.
Gardai have advised shoppers to exercise extra caution this time of year and to be mindful that handbags, shopping or other valuables are not display.
Call Tallaght Garda Station on 6666000.
READ MORE
