Business and Neighbours to liase on Christmas Crime

NAAS GARDA AREA, 6 December 2001: by Michael Freeman. Business people have proposed to share information and photographs of known criminals and ‘dodgy characters’ to avoid a blitz of attempted robberies predicted by Gardai in the run up to Christmas. Owners and managers of businesses in the Garda Business Watch scheme in Co. Kildare joined with leaders of Neighbourhood Watch and Community Watch at Naas Garda Station for a special Garda briefing on crime earlier this month.

At the meeting, Inspector Pat Mangan, Garda Sergeant Kevin Gralton, Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Mary Corcoran and Garda Mark Doran warned the attendance of more than 70 community leaders and business people that more gangs of criminals will target businesses because of the huge movement of Euro during the Euro changeover period. However, the Gardai said that they could not share Photofits or information about known criminals, ('although they know 50 out of every 51 of them',) with the business community because of legal prohibitions and civil liberty rights.

A number of business people, 'sick and tired' of being targeted for theft, proposed at the meeting that they would share video recordings and pictures of known and suspected criminals with each other. They suggested that they would buy ‘two-way radios’ to alert each other when known criminals and ‘dodgy characters’ would hit town and "be going down their way". But, one business manager said that even if they caught burglars on their premises, traders would lose huge amounts of money because of the damage done to goods.

Sgt Gralton said that if businesses have proper CCTV the criminals can be identified easily. One business owner in the area has installed the ‘best CCTV system" he had ever seen. It’s digital and the pictures at five photos per second could even be downloaded onto a PC and put on a CD. Unlike many systems that are dependent on tape and heads that get dirty, it could even be used on Crimeline, he said.

The Gardai told the attendance of how premises are targeted. One business owner said robbers use foil lined bags, such as Next, Oasis or Superquin bags to avoid security tracking systems. The Gardai advised that staff should check skylights and exits in particular. Then double-check them. “Ring the station even if you are suspicious that they have been interfered with. Well known Dublin criminals come down on the bus to Naas as ‘day-trippers’ with their eye on the shops.”

Garda Mark Doran advised people when around town to check their handbags and their pockets. Keep your handbag zipped tight and on the table in front of you. One woman left her handbag with £600 in cash down beside her while she had a cup of coffee. A six or seven year old is believed to have walked in and stolen it.

Garda Doran advised people to be particularly vigilant at Bank ATM (‘hole-in-the-wall’) machines. “Don’t be afraid to look around and check around you. He assured the attendance that people queuing at ATM machines are going to be hit if they are not watchful,” he said.

On the Euro changeover, Sgt Corcoran said that business people and homeowners should keep moving the Punts out of their businesses and into the financial institutions. Keep large amounts of money out of your homes, she said. Business people should carry out a review of their cash situation, brief staff on the handling of money and inform the Gardai when moving large amounts of Euros or Punts.

The Gardai told the shocked attendance that although they have huge successes on the drugs scene, the drugs problem in the county ‘frightens even the Gardai’. Of 623 young people that they searched at a concert in the area last year, a total of 603 were in possession of drugs. (Creamfields Concert in Punchestown). Garda Doran gave a demonstration of the different kinds of drugs now on sale in the area and allowed each member of the audience to identify, see, feel and smell a piece of cannabis. He showed samples of Ecstacy tablets, some of which looked like aspirin tablets and one a shamrock shaped tablet. Consumption of one of those tablets would kill, he said. If you see young people with Rizla papers, you may bet 90% that they are smoking cannabis. They hide drugs in their bedrooms, out in the fields, in their runners, sneakers. Some may even swallow them.

Consumption of alcohol and Public Order offences are a big problem, and late night drinking is a major issue, said Inspector Pat Mangan.

It doesn’t deter many of those young people and they have no respect. We’re inspecting licensed premises all the time. Adults even buy alcohol for young people who are underage. We have 13 and 14 years olds drinking cider. Then those young people do damage to cars, houses and so on. It happens every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday… in fact any day of the week. Females are difficult to handle- some are worse than the fellows, said Sgt Corcoran. Parents are condoning it. They even ask why their ‘child’ has been arrested. The vast majority of young people taken in are violent. "They have a terrible venom". In the last year, the damage done by young people to the cell block in Naas Garda Station cost more than £45,000 said Sgt Gralton.

On crime in general, he said that crime in Clane, Kill , Maynooth and Celbridge might be solved for the time being. But the emphasis on the larger areas can take from the smaller areas.

The crime detection rate was between 30% and 35%. There were 34 fatalities in the area. Two thousand people were arrested and brought into Naas Garda Station last year. There were 51 burglaries in Naas.

He said that Gardai rarely see a house burgled when there is an alarm. "But we are getting closer and closer to Dublin all the time and people are moving in and out of the locality all the time. Many homes are vacant. Be conscious of your own security. Turn on the alarm when you are going to bed. Keep locks on windows."

Sgt Corcoran advised that people should photograph their jewellary and other valuables. "We often find property, but we can’t trace the owners". Firearms and valuable tools should be kept in locked cases or safes. Keep up the impetus of your neighbourhood watch schemes, she said. Prevention is the key.

©2001knn