Burglars pose as council staff and hold OAP at knifepoint
AN 88-YEAR-OLD woman was held at knifepoint in her home by two burglars masquerading as council workers checking her water supply following the big freeze.
In the shocking incident in Dublin on Thursday afternoon, the two men called to the home of the elderly woman in an upmarket estate in the suburb of Terenure.
The pensioner, who lives in the red-brick home with her husband, was targeted by the ‘opportunistic’ thieves at 1.45pm on Thursday. No arrests have yet been made.
The elderly woman’s husband was not at home at the time of the crime. Gardaí are exploring whether the criminals knew she was there alone when they struck.
The two men called to the front door and claimed to be council workers there to check the water pressure and asked the victim could they come inside.
There have been water restrictions and shortages in many parts of Dublin and all over Ireland this week as a consequence of the Arctic weather conditions last week.
As a consequence of the ongoing water issue, the woman unwittingly let the two men into her home.
Once inside, one of the men went upstairs, saying they needed to check the taps.
In reality, this individual was searching for valuables upstairs.
The second man then turned to the pensioner and produced a breadknife. He threatened her and demanded she hand over all cash. Fearing for her life, the elderly woman emptied her handbag and contents of her purse at the insistence of the criminal.
There was around €90 cash. Unable to find any other valuables, the two men fled the house shortly afterwards.
The ‘shocked, terrified and traumatised’ woman then contacted gardaí.
Yesterday, the elderly woman asked not to named and did not wish to comment.
She did confirm that she was ‘doing okay’ following the incident and just wanted to put it behind her and move on.
The pensioner was physically unharmed in the incident.
A senior source said: ‘This was a despicable incident.
‘Targeting a woman almost ninety years of age and threatening to kill her with a breadknife is beyond reproach.
‘The emotional scars suffered by this elderly woman could take some time to heal.
‘To be threatened in such a manner in a home invasion has a lasting effect on any person, but it can be particularly difficult for older people to come to terms with such a shocking episode.’
It is understood that a number of squad cars were dispatched to the vicinity after gardaí were informed of the crime.
A Garda helicopter was also deployed to the area. However, the two men remain at large. The investigation is ongoing.
When contacted, the Garda Press Office said there were no other reported incidents in the area of men posing as council employees and checking water pressure.
However, the spokesman advised that, as water restrictions continue over the weekend, householders should always ask for identification, such as work ID, if any person is trying to gain access to one’s home.
The spokesman added that if householders do not feel comfortable in relation to the forms of identification provided, they retained the right not to let any person into their home.
Just two weeks ago, the DPP said publicly that longer sentences should be imposed for burglaries which are leaving elderly people in to ‘live in permanent fear or dread’.
The submission by the DPP to the Court of Appeal as it extended the detention of two men jailed for a ‘fatal burglary’ in 2015 at the home of a 62-yearold man to ensure that they do not escape further penalties for the crime.
Cousins Michael Casey, 34, of Clonlong halting site, Southill in Limerick and David Casey, 23, Carragh Park, Belcamp, Dublin, pleaded guilty to burglaries, including one at the home of John O’Donoghue.
Mr O’Donoghue collapsed and died at his home in Toomaline, Doon, Co. Limerick, as he was about to confront the two intruders, who ran away without offering any assistance.
Judge Tom O’Donnell sentenced the men at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to four and a half years imprisonment with the final year suspended on December 15, 2016.
‘A despicable incident’
IT is utterly repugnant that thieves posing as Irish Water workers robbed an 86-yearold woman at knifepoint. It is understandable, after the outages caused by Storm Emma, that she allowed them into her house, because most of us, of all ages, trust people, sometimes to our detriment.
What this tragic case shows is that no one should open the door to any caller until he has furnished some proof he is who he says he is, and if that’s not convincing enough, phone the utility to check it has workers active in the area.
It always is better to be safe than sorry, but also a sad indictment of our society than even an octogenarian is not safe from the nefarious activity of thugs.