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THIRD LEVEL STUDENTS in Limerick have been warned to be vigilant after a number of thefts from homes were carried out during house parties.
Many off-campus homes have been targeted by thieves in the city in recent weeks. One was even successful in robbing a car by simply walking into a house party, taking a set of keys and leaving with the vehicle.
Gardaí based in Limerick city have had a lot of success in the last month in tracking down suspected burglars, including those targeting students.
They have made over 12 arrests – many of which related to robberies in the Castletroy area of the city. This is an area in which many students rent houses.
Sources have told TheJournal.ie that gardaí suspect that people are showing up at large house parties and pretending to be part of a group of people. The thieves then search for anything worth taking and leave. In at least one instance in the Castletroy area, a burglar spotted car keys and drove off. The victim only realised the car had been stolen the following morning.
Superintendent Derek Smart of Henry Street Garda station told TheJournal.ie: “There have been around 12 arrests – that’s fantastic and it’s the rewards for the hard work. It has been good policing. We arrested people we didn’t expect to. Some of them we wouldn’t have known for the crime of burglary at all so there’s always surprises.”
Away from the arrests, Smart wanted to encourage locals to think about the safety of their possessions, especially if they were planning on having a large gathering in their home.
“Prevention is the best policy. We would encourage residents not to make the job of the thieves easy. Get your valuables out of your car and out of sight. Put your car keys away from your front door – put them in a drawer or somewhere where they’re not easily taken.”
Limerick gardaí have been enjoying high arrest numbers for burglary in recent weeks. Combining the skills of different units across the county meant that officers have been able to arrest prolific thieves targeting the area.
He said: “We have a dedicated unit for burglaries who are working under what we call Operation Disruption – as you can guess this is to make it as difficult as possible for criminals to operate. We are able to see exactly who is being targeted, when they’re being targeted and how they’re being robbed. We are able to build up profiles.”
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Noise pollution laws need to be strengthened in Ireland. Imagine having to live beside students who hold house parties all night long.
When it comes to the issue of respect for ones neighbours students are some of the most belligerent and intolerable people in society.
(I know, I’m great crack at parties)
@Gene Dexter: You’re never going to be able to stop people having parties, it’s just a waste of police time.
We simply need more purpose built student accommodation. UL has huge amount of purpose built accommodation and rarely get complaints from residents because students live separately without bothering everyone.
@Gene Dexter: you’d want to try living near Germans who have turned your neighbourhood into an Airbnb hell by renting out their houses in Dublin.
@Sandra O’Fucáif: how poetic
@Sandra O’Fucáif: Gene wasn’t tarnishing all students though. Clearly says students who throw house parties.
@Gene Dexter: they just built new student accommodation apartments adjacent ours. the thoughts of them moving in is giving me nightmares .
This is partly student’s fault, when you have 8 random people sharing a house and never lock your doors it’s bound to happen.
It is a well known fact that College Court, Briarfield, Oaklawns, Groody Park etc. are all ‘Student Estates’, not difficult for an opportunistic burglar to simply walk around trying doors.
@ForeverFeel1ng: Is victim blaming okay now?
@Pat Bateman: Bollocks. If you invite people you don’t know into your home for a party then you are an idiot and not a victim.
@Jack Sparrow: victim blaming is victim blaming.
@Michael Powell: Idiots deserved to be blamed for being idiots. Would you say the same for a half wit who climbs into a lion’s den in a zoo and get’s mauled?
@Pat Bateman: I’m not victim blaming, I’ve experienced this first hand. I’ve lived with people who’ve left €2000 MacBooks on the Sofa in plain sight and went to bed without even locking the front door.
You can’t excuse recklessness.
@Sandra O’Fucáif: Are you asking for your own peace of mind? Of course it’s not OK to be a burglar.
@Michael Powell: Calling out an idiot for being an idiot will never stop.
@ForeverFeel1ng: Dont mind him , he likes to use that line, makes him feel smart ..
If i leave my door unlocked and I get robbed I will blame myself period.
I know the world we live in and there are people out there looking for unlocked doors
police say a pot noodle and a tin of beans were stolen
Robbing students? They must have given up on taking blood from all those stones.
‘One was even successful in robbing a car by simply walking into a house party, taking a set of keys and leaving with the vehicle.’
Again, they robbed the owner: they stole the car.
The best house party I was at was where the sofa came out through the sitting room window and a surfer on an ironing board came down the stairs and straight out through the closed glass front door.
@mcgoo: You’re so cool
@mcgoo: Just wondering who picked up the bill for the glass door and the rest of the damage house insurance?
Totally unrelated I know… but why are comments closed on the Jackson/Olding transfer to Sale Sharks….
@Gearóid Collins: It’s going to be awkward if Sale ever play one of the Irish sides in Europe: comments closed on the reports.
@Gearóid Collins: the only place you can comment on this is on the daily mail and other UK sites , incredible that no forum in Ireland allows comments on the trial or the aftermath despite the fact that the whole country is talking about it, even old ladies on buses
have your say