Despite over 3,300 views of a Facebook notice plus newspaper coverage, text messages and shop posters, just 17 people attended the most recent meeting of Delvin Community Alert.
Garda Report
Garda Niall Sheridan was in attendance and gave his report.
- At a recent court hearing, judge Seamus Hughes instructed a defendant to donate €300 to Delvin Community Alert. The committee expressed thanks to Judge Hughes for such a generous and proactive response.
- Garda Sheridan advised that there should be NO reason for anyone involved in the installation of water meters to access anyone’s home as the work involved is carried out entirely outside. If in doubt, you should ask for ID from anyone requesting access to your property or calling to your door.
- A door to door scam that has affected people periodically is where a stranger calls to your home asking if you have lost any money. This is a distraction – on one occasion, a wallet was snatched from the hand of a homeowner while he checked to see if cash was indeed missing.
- Residents are advised to follow five simple steps to help protect themselves and their homes against burglaries.
Secure all doors and windows - Install sensor lights and consider putting some internal lights (in living rooms etc) on timers
- Store keys away from windows or doors to avoid them being spotted if someone looked in through a window or through a letterbox
- Do not leave valuables (jewellery, laptops etc) in plain sight
- If you an alarm use it – even while at home. If you do not have an alarm, consider getting one.
- It was suggested that people should take photos of valuable property – including cars and trailers – to assist with tracing and identification in case of theft and attempted resale on sites such as donedeal.
- It was reported that text messages are not being circulated and that some local crimes may have been solved if issues had been communicated. Niall will investigate.
Local Crime
Through discussion, it was confirmed that the following incidents had taken place in recent weeks
- Over the May bank holiday weekend, burglars accessed a property in Stoneyford Park while the family were home. On investigation of noise at approx 1.30am, no evidence was found that an intrusion had taken place but by 4am, it was noted that the resident’s two cars had been stolen along with a handbag and a wallet.
- On the 15th or 16th May, property was stolen from a premises in Mooretown, Delvin.
- On the 16th May, a property in Sheepstown, Delvin was burgled and ransacked.
- Documents and a sum of cash were stolen from a car in Delvin and similar incidents were later reported in Collinstown and Castlepollard.
- On the 20th May, hedge cutters were taken from a property in Hiskinstown, Delvin. The owner disturbed two people – a man and a woman – on the property but they had fled the scene before he could intervene. A silver car with a British registration plate was spotted leaving the scene. Another theft took place later the same day in Multyfarnam.
Other Comments
- It is not unknown for burglars to deliberately activate intruder alarms two, three times or more to suggest that a system is faulty and to prompt the owner to assume there is a fault.
- As an extra precaution, keep downstairs doors locked at night to make things harder for burglar.
- Those who use the Delvin Sports and Leisure Centre car park are again reminded that thieves have periodically targeted cars parked there. Keep valuables locked away out of sight.
Treasurer’s Report
- Recent door to door collections yielded additional income of €300. The donation instigated by Judge Hughes (€300) brought recent donations to €600. There is currently €790.64 in the group account.
- Community Alert signs have been taken down for amendment by the sign writer in Kinnegad and will be reinstated as soon as possible.
Further Reading
Delvin Community Alert Website