95-year old woman robbed in car-park attack
GARDAÍ have warned people to be on their guard against callous, opportunistic thieves after a 95-yearold woman was targeted in broad daylight in the car-park of a supermarket.
The incident in question took place on a Saturday afternoon earlier this month in Fermoy.
The lady, who was sat alone in the passenger seat of a car in the SuperValu car-park while a relative was shopping, was approached by a non-national female who tapped on the window and asked for change for a trolley.
After the pensioner wound down the window, the thief reached into the car and grabbed some banknotes from her purse.
“The same thing happened with exactly the same modus operandi two years ago and again last year,” Sergeant John Kelly told Patricia Messinger on her C103 Cork Today show. “Fridays and Saturdays would seem to be good times [for thieves to strike].”
GARDAI in Fermoy have warned people to be on their guard against callous opportunist thieves after a 95-year-old woman was targeted in broad daylight in the car-park of a local supermarket.
The incident in question took place on a Saturday afternoon earlier this month.
The lady, who was sat alone in the passenger seat of a car in the SuperValu car-park while a relative was shopping, was approached by a non-national female who tapped on the window and asked for change for a trolley.
After the pensioner wound down the window, the thief reached into the car and grabbed some banknotes from her purse.
Speaking to Patricia Messinger on her C103 Cork Today show Sergeant John Kelly of Fermoy Garda Station said this was not the first time an incident of this nature had happened in that car-park.
“The same thing happened, with exactly the same modus operandi two years ago and again last year. This is a particular method used by opportunists non-nationals travelling criminals, who may often travel down from Dublin to target car-parks,” said Sgt Kelly.
“Friday’s and Saturday’s would seem to be good times (for thieves to strike) as people have just collected their pension and a son or daughter may lave them in the car alone which the are doing their shopping,” he added.
In this particular instance the thieves left the car-park in a silver-grey Volkswagen.
“Unfortunately, we do not have the registration number of the car, but it was distinctive in that it was a left-hand drive,” said Sgt Kelly.
He said this kind of criminal would typically scope out the car-park and deliberately target elderly and vulnerable people.
“This lady was trying to be helpful. The only good thing was that there was no violence involved. Nonetheless, the lady was very shocked,” said Sgt Kelly.
His advice to people who may find themselves in a similar situation that if approached while waiting in a car to keep the doors locked, windows closed and pretend not to understand what the person is saying to them or simply pretend to be asleep.
“People also need to be on the lookout. If they see that an elderly person is being annoyed don’t afraid to be inquisitive and ask if they are alright,” he added.