Crime Prevention Update

Sergeant James Malone, Crime Prevention Officer for Dún Laoighaire Rathdown and Community Garda John O’Shea held a meeting for residents of The Rise and Mount Merrion on February 17th.  Summary of Garda advice on keeping your home safe and secure below.

• REPORT ALL SUSPICIONS – Phone 999
• DO NOT KEEP JEWELLERY OR CASH IN MASTER BEDROOM
• KEEP VALUABLES OUT OF SIGHT 
• DETER, DELAY, DENY 
• LIGHT UP & LOCK UP
• IF YOU HAVE HOUSE ALARM – USE IT 
• LOOK OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBOURS
• DO NOT ANSWER DOOR TO ANYONE YOU DO NOT KNOW 
• ALWAYS ASK FOR ID

Sergeant James Malone, Crime Prevention Officer for Dún Laoighaire Rathdown, James.b.malone@garda.ie

Community Garda John O’Shea Blackrock Garda Station 01 666 5200, john.a.oshea@garda.ie

Garda Home Security Checklist:  Www.garda.ie/en/Crime-Prevention/Checklist-Challenge-2017.pdf

REPORT ALL SUSPICIONS – Do Phone 999

• Phone 999 if you see anything suspicious.  This will have quickest response and assign closest garda resource ASAP.  The 999 team are aware of patrol cars in the area that will be quickest to respond e.g. a Garda car from another station that is passing nearby on N11/M50.
• Do Report – Garda can only respond when call received.  If concerned phone 999 straightaway- prevention is better than cure.  Feeds into police reporting and resourcing.
• Report first, what’s app after.
• Be clear and concise when reporting details e.g  “intruder”, “on premises”, “in fear” etc.  This will enable Garda to prioritise call as appropriate asap

KEEP VALUABLES OUT OF SIGHT & OUT OF MASTER BEDROOM

• Burglars looking for jewellery and cash
• In and out in 3-5 minutes. Go straight to master bedroom
• Do not leave jewellery or cash in master bedroom.
• Do not leave car keys or handbags in sight or “fishing rod” distance of letterbox.
• Photograph valuable items as Garda often recover stolen items but don’t know who owns them.

DETER, DELAY, DENY 

Looking for easy access, vacant houses.  Usually between 4.00pm – 10.00pm, early mornings after people leave for work. Using N11 and M50 for quick exit.

LIGHT UP & LOCK UP

• If you have a House Alarm – USE IT, even if just popping out for or when at home.
• If you are home, or have teens home alone (with headphones on) put on perimeter alarm.
• Front of houses often look quiet even when people home as living area to back of house.  Make front of house look like someone home e.g. timers on lights
• Make house look occupied e.g. leave TV on when out, timers on lights

• Always lock car and physically check it is actually locked.  Most car thefts in area from unlocked cars.
• Lock your car when paying for petrol in service station.  Opportunists are watching.
• Do not leave valuables in your car

BE AWARE, TAKE NOTICE

• May have shirt and tie on when calling door to door and then put hoody and mask on so not identified on cameras.
• They are forensically aware and leave no fingerprints etc
• Typically in stolen Audi or BMW so be aware if spot unfamiliar car parked in area.
• Take note of unsolicited flyers offering gardening services, roof repairs etc.  These are often a ruse to see who is home.  Keep a copy or date and scan and email to Garda.  If there is an incident these can be linked back to person showing when they were in the area.
• Be aware, keep in touch with neighbours, look out for each other

GET IN TOUCH 

NOTE: Sergeant James Malone is THE Crime Prevention Officer for  the entire area of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown.  He liaises with DLR County Council and service providers e.g. ESB etc.  If there is an area that you feel needs more lighting, or vegetation needs to be cut back from a security point of view he is happy to work with the relevant body on this.  Please email him directly at  James.b.malone@garda.ie

Update on recent burgarlies in area:

There was a spike in burgarlies and attempted break-ins in the Rathdown area over the Christmas period.   This was not specific to Mount Merrion.  Blackrock, Foxrock and other communities also affected.  Garda recently caught a gang targetting area and they are in custody.  Gardai have noted a reduction in incidents since then however it is an ongoing issue. However often let out on bail. Group of 15 or so late teens to late twenties.