Gang targets elderly

‘DISTRACTION THEFTS’

A GANG specialising in organised theft has been targeting vulnerable people including the elderly, according to gardai.

Detective Inspector Frank Keeneghan of Bray Garda Station said that there have been a number of these theft incidents involving a gang composed of non-national individuals.

‘ They have been focused on elderly people going in to banks and post offices and so on,’ said Det. Insp. Keeneghan.

He advised local people using services in towns to be extremely careful when taking out large sums of money.

‘Make sure that the money is secured properly or you make the prop- er arrangements to lodge it,’ he said.

One of the men responsible has been arrested, however, and gardai have some identified others. ‘ The activity has occurred in Wicklow, Bray, Arklow, Naas and other locations and seems to be the work of one gang,’ said Det. Insp. Keeneghan.

He said that the thieves employ a ‘distraction theft’ method, in which they will pretend to be in some distress or to return a small sum of money.

‘ There are some unscrupulous people out there who will take advantage,’ he said, adding that iPhones have also been taken from bars and coffee shops.