This article is from page 21 of the 2011-05-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
THE THEFT of a boat engine, valued at € 15,000, in Mountshannon has prompted gardaí to plead with boat owners to protect their properties.
An engine was stolen from a boat at the pier in Mountshannon harbour last Monday. The boat was found floating without its engine about a mile from the harbour. The engine was just two years old and was worth around € 15,000.
Gardaí are urging boat owners to be vigilant and ensure they take precautions to protect their properties.
Crime Prevention Officer in the Clare Garda Division, Sergeant Joe Downey said that valuable properties should be well protected.
While the theft of boats is not a common occurence, he said that thefts of engines have become prevalent in Clare in recent years.
“We seem to have had a huge increase in thefts (of engines) in East Clare, on Loug Derg and Mountshannon. A lot have been stolen in those areas,” said Sgt Downey.
“In the past, we intercepted people who were stealing them to export them and sell them. The advice is if you are leaving your boat for a week, take the engine off.
“When they are of high value, put in a tracking device and then when stolen they can be tracked. A tracking device is hidden in the engine and if it is stolen, the device is activated and it can be located,” said Sgt Downey.
Tracking devices cost in the region of € 1,000 and ideally should only be used on valuable properties.
Meanwhile, gardaí in West Clare are investigating damage caused to a car at the weekend.
A substance, believed to be acid, was thrown on a car parked at Cappa Drive in Kilrush between 2am and 7am last Wednesday.
Also in Kilrush, the library on O’Gorman Street was targeted by vandals overnight on Thursday. A back window was broken on the premises, but nothing was stolen.