Ardgillan Castle Carpark Thefts

Morpheus

Another warning thread here.


My friend works in Ardgillan Park. She's told me that over the last few months there have been almost daily robberies from cars up in the top carpark (balrothery/skerries entrance).

They cannot catch the guys no matter what they do (castle staff have tried to watch for them but have limited resources)

If you are driving there to park up, beware, these guys are breaking into cars and tearing them apart looking for valuables. If you go to Ardgillan ensure you leave nothing valuable in the car. If you can (although you arent supposed to) drive in and park down at the bottom of the hill or if you must use the upper car park, ensure to park where there are many cars in the hope that somebody will be at theres and deter these guys.

They are apparently operating out of a white or a blue/silver transit van possibly with uk registration.

If you see anything suspicious whilst in the park, contact the park staff at 018492212 or failing that contact local gardai 018412202.

These scum are driving people away from a beautiful part of our county, including the lifeblood of the castle, tourists.

Frank Spencer

This has reached epidemic proportions in NCD. There's been numerous cars broken into in Rolestown, Garristown, Naul, Donabate amongst others over the last few months. The Gardai have a good idea who the culprits are but they can't catch them in the act. The modus operandi seems to be targeting SUVs and cutting the electrics and thus disabling the central locking. This has happened at night and in broad daylight whilst people are in Mass.

It's hard to know what can be done.

Jimdagym

A friend of mine simply had his window put in, in malahide castle last week.

Pure scum.

Khannie

I've seen the smashed glass on the ground in the upper car park alright. This is another one of those things that I think a portable, community owned CCTV camera set should be used for. Catch them in the act, camera moves on to the next trouble spot.

Absurdum

Khannie wrote: »

I've seen the smashed glass on the ground in the upper car park alright. This is another one of those things that I think a portable, community owned CCTV camera set should be used for. Catch them in the act, camera moves on to the next trouble spot.

If only we had a fleet of vans with sophisticated cameras in them which could be used to catch criminals eh?

Corsendonk

Absurdum wrote: »

If only we had a fleet of vans with sophisticated cameras in them which could be used to catch criminals eh?

Cheaply done really, attach a mobile swivel cam in one of the trees near the carpark, surprised they haven't any cctv in operation already at the entrance or around the place to stop vandals or any one breaking the by-laws, any other business would.

Wouldn't it be quicker to just call the garda directly rather than alert the council? They are only going to ring the garda anyway.

dan_d

Bunch of cars done a number of weeks ago in the carpark outside the all weather pitches in Clontarf (beside the DART station)-about 12 in total.
Not exactly NCD, but there you have it. Smashed in windows/drilled locks, ransacked for valuables.
I'm not condoning it, but I'd imagine that the rise in this kind of thing has a lot to do with the serious decrease in the amount of money sloshing around the country and the economy, and the Gardai indicated they thought it was drug related in that case (ie, needing cash)
The hidden effects of a recession. Still scum, though.:mad:

Morpheus

Corsendonk wrote: »

Cheaply done really, attach a mobile swivel cam in one of the trees near the carpark, surprised they haven't any cctv in operation already at the entrance or around the place to stop vandals or any one breaking the by-laws, any other business would.

Wouldn't it be quicker to just call the garda directly rather than alert the council? They are only going to ring the garda anyway.

theyve never needed it until this year.... sign of the changing times. scum.

Absurdum

Corsendonk wrote: »

Cheaply done really, attach a mobile swivel cam in one of the trees near the carpark, surprised they haven't any cctv in operation already at the entrance or around the place to stop vandals or any one breaking the by-laws, any other business would.

Wouldn't it be quicker to just call the garda directly rather than alert the council? They are only going to ring the garda anyway.

it would be easier to just have an unmarked van with 3 or 4 Gardai waiting for them, there's only one way in and out of there (by car/van anyway)

Nodster

Slightly off topic but In my eyes the judicial system is at fault - just looking at the Fingal Indo week in week out, the serial offenders are remanded on bail to reoffend and chances are when charged, other offences are 'taken into account'

Khannie

Absurdum wrote: »

If only we had a fleet of vans with sophisticated cameras in them which could be used to catch criminals eh?

I LOL'd.

Corsendonk

Absurdum wrote: »

it would be easier to just have an unmarked van with 3 or 4 Gardai waiting for them, there's only one way in and out of there (by car/van anyway)

Not really, what police station in NCD could afford to have 3-4 garda stuck in the back of a van for a week or two. Councils do employ mobile cams for other areas of unsocial behaviour such as noise restrictions.

Corsendonk

Morphéus wrote: »

theyve never needed it until this year.... sign of the changing times. scum.

Unemployed bankers?

Martron

these people are scum. they are stealing from people that may not have 2 pennies to rub together.

really annoys me.

indie armada

this type of activity will stop people using these areas which is nearly as bad as having your property damaged or stolen. i drive the company van full time now so ive no choice but to use it to bring my little one up to ard gillan and the type business were in it would be targeted for sure.
cameras are not much use in this instance cause if they even think there are cameras there they will just wear hoods or caps. A person with a handheld camera would be of more use but who has the time and resources to do this type of thing.

ted1

it's happening on dollymount beach. Borrow road in sutton. And sandycove beach. As well as polbeg. A number of car regs have been giving to the guards. <mod snip>

The Hill Billy

ted1 - Do not make unsubstantiate claims like that again in this forum.

HB