Tourist vehicles targeted during week-long spate of break-ins

OVER a seven day period four vehicles belonging to tourists visiting County Wicklow were damaged while parked in scenic locations.

Three vehicles parked in Brittas Bay had windows smashed by thieves hoping to gain access to any contents inside the vehicles. Two of the cars belonged to separate groups of German tourists.

A vehicle belonging to a Waterford family was targeted while parked in the Shay Elliott car park and a handbag was stolen.

On Sunday, visitor from Northern Ireland returned to their car parked at St Kevin’s Church, Laragh, having attending mass to find the back window smashed. Cash, a mobile phone, passport and other important documents were all missing.

A NUMBER of cars parked in some of Wicklow’s most scenic locations were damaged during the week as thieves attempted to break into the vehicles.

Items were stolen from certain cars, with tourists appearing to be the main targets.

In one incident in Laragh, a car had its back window smashed while its owner was attending Sunday Mass.

On Monday, July 3, windows belonging to two cars were smashed while parked at Brittas Bay in what are being treated as attempted break-ins and cases of criminal damage.

One vehicle belonging to visiting German tourists had a passenger window shattered.

In both incidents no valuables were present in the cars so the culprits left empty-handed.

On Monday, July 3, another vehicle parked at Brittas Bay car park was also damaged when the front passenger window was smashed and a jacket stolen from the car. The victims were again German tourists enjoying a Wicklow break.

A visitor from Northern Ireland returned to their car at St Kevin’s Church, Laragh, after attending mass on Sunday to find the back window smashed. Cash, a mobile phone, passport and other important documents were all missing. The incident occurred some time between 11.15 a.m. and 1 p.m. That same day, entry into a car parked in the Shay Elliott car park in the Wicklow Mountains was gained by damaging a passenger window. A handbag was stolen from the vehicle which belonged to tourists from Waterford.

Gardaí are advising motorists not to leave any valuables in their parked cars and to report any suspicious behaviour they may witness.