Whatever the cost, we must protect our elderly
Who can imagine the terror that 83-year-old Pat Davidson felt when four masked men burst into her home in Aughnacloy on Sunday night? It was a place she had lived in for a long time and where, until that moment, she felt safe.
But now her life is in the balance as she lies critically ill in hospital after falling from an upstairs window at her home during the burglary. This is no longer a simple robbery but a case of attempted murder, according to police.
Last night, people gathered in the area to demonstrate their outrage at what happened at the weekend but also to highlight the community concerns brought into focus by the crime.
Our first thoughts, like those of the local residents, must be with the injured woman. Sadly, it is not rare for photographs of elderly people who have been battered black and blue by robbers to appear in the media, but that should not inure us to the horror of last Sunday night. Everyone will hope this woman recovers.
The burglary at her home was one of four in this general borderareainthepastweek, suggesting that these are not opportunistic or spur of the moment crimes.
The idea that vulnerable people are being deliberately targeted by criminals, possibly operating across the border, is causing fear in these rural communities.
Our story today of one family who have been victims of burglaries five times in the last five years — twice at their business and three times at their homes — shows the brazen nature of the criminals. On one occasion, they even climbed onto the roof of the family home in broad daylight to disable an alarm.
Another resident is considering moving an elderly relative into her home in case he becomes a target of the thieves. That is not an irrational fear, as statistics demonstrate. In the 12 months up to November last year, 4,500 people over the age of 65 were victims of crime, including burglary, robbery and sexual offences. There were 293 instances where elderly people were the victims of violence with injury.
Local people say that the closure or partial closure of police stations in rural towns and villages is contributing to the problem. The criminals know that it will take some time for police to arrive at the scene even if the alarm is raised quickly and by that stage they will be well away.
It is accepted that the Chief Constable is operating with a reduced budget and that previous levels of policing are simply not sustainable. Yet it is equally obvious that a visible police presence is the greatest deterrent to criminals. As far as residents are concerned police visibility is not all it should be.
Another worrying feature is the low clear-up rate in the crimes against the elderly, little more than half the rate in crimes against people aged under 60.
These are the wrong messages to be sending out. If criminals, especially violent ones, feel they can carry out their activities with little chance of being disturbed by police and little chance of being caught afterwards, it is little wonder that the crimes are so prevalent.
Any society deserving of the name civilised must cherish and protect its elderly people who deserve to live in safety and without fear.
Anyone who has information which can help catch those who terrorise their elderly victims should give it to the PSNI as soon as possible so that those thugs can be put behind bars where they belong, and hopefully for a long time.