Fears raised after spate of burglaries across mid and north Louth

Fears for the security of elderly and vulnerable people living on their own in rural areas of Louth have increased, following a surge in home burglaries in the region over the past week.  

“I’m quite shocked and worried to hear of these burglaries,” local councillor John Sheridan told the Democrat. “It’s terrible for the families concerned. If anyone has information they should contact Gardaí as soon as possible. I will be raising the trend of break-ins when the mid-Louth Joint Policing Committee meets for the first time.”

According to Gardaí, six burglaries took place between July 30 and August 3.  Three businesses and three homes were targeted. A house on Dublin Road was broken into on July 30, another  on the Point Road in Dundalk on August 1, while a home in Kilcurry was hit two days later, August 3.

The Democrat has also received reports of  house burglaries in the Tallanstown area and in the Louth Village area in the past week. 

“In general, I think everyone needs to be extra vigilant, particularly during the holiday period,” Cllr Sheridan added, “While I’m not saying it was the case in the recent burglaries, I think everyone needs to take precautions around lights on timers, having posts removed from letter boxes and not sharing holiday plans on social media. 

“Figures from the Gardaí suggest one in four burglaries in the summer are through an unlocked door or open window.”

He added: “Finally, sharing information through Local Text Alert groups can be a very effective way of alerting Gardaí to suspicious activity. If you see something you’re not sure about, it probably is better to report it to be on the safe side.”

Cllr Sheridan also warned people to be vigilant when leaving their cars in the Ardee area. According to the mid Louth councillor, there has been a spate of thefts from cars outside takeaways while people are waiting to collect orders. 

He strongly advised  people to lock their car doors, even when stopped.