Naked man arrested at shopping centre

A man, wearing only shoes and a backpack, was arrested by Gardai after he walked through the Marshes Shopping Centre last week.

It is understood the 25-year-old had earlier been in a disagreement with security staff at the centre and went outside for a short time before taking off his clothes, putting them into his backpack and returning to the centre to walk naked through the concourse.

Dundalk Gardai were contacted and found the man, who was arrested for engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour.

He has been charged with a public order offence and is due before Dundalk District Court next month.

Meanwhile, an 11-LH registered Chevrolet was stolen during a creeper burglary at a house on the Newry Road on Sunday afternoon. The incident happened between 1pm and 6.30pm when the homeowners were away. The discovered the key to the black coloured vehicle was missing and the Chevrolet had been stolen.

Nothing else was taken. Meanwhile, Gardai are also investigating an attempted theft of a car at Greenacres on Saturday. Again, the owner was away from 2pm to 6pm and returned to find the back window of the vehicle damaged and it had been moved around 10 metres down the road.

Gardai said this incident happened in broad daylight and are keen to speak to anyone who saw someone pushing a vehicle in the estate during Saturday afternoon and may not have thought it suspicious at the time.

And, in an unrelated incident, two men were arrested after a member of the public reported seeing them interfering with cars at Rockfield in the early hours of Friday morning. The youths, both of whom are in their late teens, have been charged in connection with the offence.

A handbag, containing money and a passport, was stolen when a car parked at Chapel Street for an hour from 6.45pm yesterday was broken into.

Gardai are also seeking the public’s help after a woman reported seeing a hooded man in her back garden. The incident happened at a house at Thomas Street at around 12.40pm last Tuesday when she saw a man, dressed in a black hoodie, grey tracksuit bottoms and with his face covered in her back garden.

The woman screamed, and the man ran off, but Gardai who patrolled the area were unable to find him.

Meanwhile,a 27-year-old woman was questioned after a small amount of heroin and needles were found when a hose at Sliabh Foy Park was raided by Gardai last Wednesday.

Anyone with information about these crimes can contact Gardai at 042 9388400 or the Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.