This article is from page 19 of the 2008-07-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 19 JPG
said that the homes were being targeted during the day when they were unoccupied.
‘A lot of the houses are on the main road. They just drive up and break in,’ he said.
People in neighbouring Kildysart have also reported theft from boats.
Gardai say that a group of travel- ling criminals are responsible for break-ins to several houses in north and west Clare over the past two TneCOy ele stse
The thieves targeted the unoccupied homes during the day and among the
items they stole include jewellery, cash and computer games.
Five boat engines, valued at up to €6,000 each, have also been stolen from Crovraghan Quay, Kildysart, area over the past few weeks.
These boats were used by local farmers to access the island.
Two boat engines, stolen in Car- rigaholt and Kilkee earlier this year have been recovered by gardai in Sligo.
“There has been a marked rise in burglaries while people are out of their homes during the daytime. These are opportunist crimes involv- ing a gang of travelling criminals,” said a garda spokesman.
A non-national was arrested in con- nection with a burglary in Inagh and detained for questioning.
He was later released without charge and a file 1s being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecu- tions.
No one has been arrested in connec- tion with several other burglaries in Cranny, Ballynacally and Kildysart.
Local County Councillor Oliver Garry (FG) said there 1s a lot of con- cern in the local area about the large increase in the number of house usr onny
Warnings for people to be vigilant have even appeared in parish news- ato ne
‘People who live alone or people who would leave their house for the day are now putting in house alarms and electric gates,” he said.
“There is a lot to be said for the Garda on the beat and they are miss- ing from the country areas. That is what will control crime in the rural areas,” said Cllr Garry.
A community alert meeting is now being planned for the area. The lo- cal superintendent has been invited to attend to offer people advice on home security.