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BURGLARIES REMAIN THE most common crimes perpetrated against older people in Ireland with bogus callers tricking vulnerable people into allowing them into their homes and even convincing them to take large sums of cash out of their accounts to hand over.
In an interview with TheJournal.ie this week, Sergeant Kelvin Courtney of the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit, said ‘distraction burglaries’ are still common, despite warnings over the last few years of the dangers.
“You have bogus callers at the home and they get entry into the house on a pretext and a lie,” he explained. “They call to the house and say “can I have a glass of water” and then someone else will go around the back. They might offer a service like getting the gutters done or the windows washed and gain access to the house that way or worse still get the money out of you by saying it’s cash upfront.”
We’ve had stories of older people being driven down to banks to take large amounts of money out to give them.
“They will try to strong-arm people, they might leave a foot against the door – it’s generally intimidation with a smile,” Courtney continued. “They’ll put the pressure on as well, they might say this is a deal for today and you’ll never get this price again and you don’t necessarily have to be an older person to be caught by that.”
A number of initiatives have been launched by gardaí to inform older people about what to do when someone calls at their door. The force has a number of crime prevention leaflets specifically for older people as well as campaigns highlighting the crimes that are targeting them. A pilot scheme in the Cavan, Monaghan and Meath areas sees active older people calling into more vulnerable people to give them advice and Courtney said it is hoped this can be rolled out nationwide.
Online scams
Gardaí have also been made aware of a number of phone and internet scams that older people are particularly vulnerable to.
“In particular, you have the ransomware scam where they tell a person that their computer has been completely locked and only the crime prevention unit in An Garda Síochána can unlock it. And you have to send us €200 – that’s definitely not us,” he said. “You see, they can send out so many emails – millions at a touch of a button. You only need one or two to come back for it to be worthwhile.”
Age Action Ireland runs computer skills classes for older people and spokesperson Eamon Timmins said volunteers cover internet security and go through the various precautions a person needs to take with online banking.
“When people are new online, they do get suspicious but what we say is, if people have their wits about them it can be wonderful,” he said. “Especially for those who are housebound, there are far more benefits for them but they have to take the right precautions to protect themselves.”
Tips
Both people we spoke to about this had similar advice for older people to avoid being taken in by bogus callers and scams in general:
And one last piece of advice from Sergeant Courtney: “If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.”
Bray, geographically is lovely, however the main street is terrible, there is no real shopping hub and it’s strewn with junkies during the day. There are some nice new food spots on the seafront and the harbour bar is great. However the clientele that frequent the martello ruin the seafront at the weekends. They’ve attracted the old Katie gallaghers crowd and it’s putting people off the seafront which is affecting the neighbouring pubs. Both sides of the bridge have problem estates and their residents often cause hassle on the seafront and main street particularly at weekends and during the summer. Bray has a lot going for it but some it’s residents and greedy business people who stunt progression ruin it.
Tolerance of junkies definitely plays a part in it. They ruin the ambiance of the area. like bray, the city centre is ruined with them yet everyone is afraid to tackle the problem. People blame everyone but the junkies. It’s like we have absolute ourselves of our own personal responsibilities
What would you suggest we do – banish them?! There is only one way to tackle the problem and that is with more supports to those people to get off drugs, and community supports to stop other young people getting onto hard drugs.
The traffic going through bray is ridiculous and it all has to funnel over the little bridge at the dargle. Florentines been deserted for years and cinema closed, even the amusement arcades are closed. The place could be great but during the boom any revenue was misspent.
Brays a great spot,something for everyone.If only they could get rid of those arcades,every gangster in the country opened one to clean the dodgy cash and the doormen look like apes ready to pounce.
Bring back the eld 20p snake slide, a coal bag n a boot in the arse from some hippy who hated his job!! Demz were the days
Hahaha yeah good times.
Expected to see the booming business of Fassaroe thieves mentioned in this article… Kip!!
My first real holiday,when I was 10 ( 60 years ago ) was to Bray. I was living in Tyrrellspass then, so it was a great treat to go to the seaside .It was a thriving seaside resort back then. Fond memories of that time.
Traffic into bray is a disgrace. Caused by the lights at Corke Abbey being in dun Laoghaire rathdown but operated by Wicklow, which means neither faction has an interest in actually sorting out that junction with a roundabout, and moving the bus stops there to a more sensible spot outside lidl. No one wants to visit bray if it means sitting in traffic for 20 min to get near the place, florentine centre or no. Town needs an alternative access route over the river from the m11 badly. Again, the unfortunate position of the border means this won’t be easily achieved.
We need to expedite the LUAS and make it more accessible by public transport. More cars in the town will only ruin it and make it more polluted.
As an “outsider” having moved to Bray 5 years ago I was met with sharp intakes of breath when telling people I was moving to Bray. I don’t regret it for 1 minute.
A fantastic seafront, bars, cafes, 5 supermarkets for choice, cliff walk, Bray Head and Wicklow, 10 mins to Wicklow mountains, 40 mins to Dublin on Dart.
All in all a great town which isn’t perfect, like any other town in Ireland.
It’s only getting better from what I see too
I agree – Bray is just getting better and better. What brings people in are the new artisan cafes and restaurants. It is a massive mistake to believe that we can compete with Dundrum or Carrickmines – the emphasis should not be on this new shopping centre – a developer-led development of the kind we are used to in Ireland, where the council have to pick up the tab for a site abandoned by a developer. It will only suck further the life out of the Main Street, which already has empty shop units. Nobody will come to Bray for the Florentine Centre. Instead we should do what towns like Margate did, which was to deliberately focus on their strengths – the architectural heritage etc – and go for artisan shops – food and otherwise – because people will stay in Bray or come to Bray to spend money on that – but they will never come to Bray to shop instead of Dundrum. Dun Laoghaire shopping centres are a case in point. We have to be realistic.
Also, that design if it destroys any more old buildings on the Main Street or Florence Road, will further destroy the architectural heritage that makes Bray so special and so worth visiting.
Crumlin on sea!
Bray holds a very special place in my heart , I spent many a summer holiday there when I was little, and last year I returned after 15 years, I brought my four year old it was like going back in time, lovely little sea side , I noticed the village it self was packed, lights a nightmare and parking dreadful but it was booming and that was the last Friday in August,
Have to disagree with comments made. Ive grown up here and love the town, despite the odd scobe and influx of the aforementioned during the summer. Never felt bored growing up; plenty of rec space, the beach, arcades, observing spaniards sitting on wyvern, etc. Now im 19 I appreciate the nightlife on the seafront, namely the harbour bar which has trad music all week and free comedy/music on the weekends. I never did understand the aversion towards Bray and continue to.
Bray’s problems are due to its proximity to the city centre, why would people shop locally when Dundrum is 20 minutes away and town is 35/40. However Bray’s strong points are also due to its proximity to the city, what other town in Ireland has Dublin Bus, Dart and commuter rail whilst not even being in the same county as said city.
Too bad they got rid of smyths last year though. Its very boring living in Bray. Not much things for kids and teenagers to do except go to school
It’s no different than any other area except it has bray head, beach and harbour. What else do kids need ?
Wifi
I welcome the demise of that tacky shop! I think Bray needs to focus on artisan shops that suit its cultural heritage, not trying to attract the big stores – nobody is ever going to come to Bray instead of Dundrum for the big shops – but they would come for a place that has artisan shops and great places to eat and a heritage atmosphere. Instead, we seem intent on tearing down the lovely old buildings on our Main Street.
“The sunken c–t of Ireland” as Joyce described it.
This election is a joke. No one should be allowed to vote unless they have a masters in either law or economics. You wouldn’t let a bad mechanic fix your car so why let an uninformed person vote?
Democracy not your thing then Anthony
Nothing stopping anyone getting a masters in economics if they want to make decisions which affect the economy of the country. Just because you have to pass a driving test doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to drive, same principle.
Nothing except money Anthony.
If you can’t find a way to make enough money to go college maybe you shouldn’t be involved in decisions relating to the country’s finances?
It’s not all about the economy
Fear Uisce we’re not electing them to scratch their balls and drink free pints in the Dail bar.
@Anthony, Governments also have to look after social issues and provide money for this. If it was simple economics there wouldn’t be an issue and the country could be run as a business by disregarding the people. By your logic we could outsource our country to India and China as it could be run cheaper there but we can’t move an island!! Instead of a masters I would suggest that you start off with some more basic reading first.
I’m afraid Anthony, I know plenty of people with degrees and I wouldn’t trust any of them to run a bath, never mind a country.
I live in Bray born and raised. Great place all together. But needs help in funding for it to be all it can be. I.e full time fire service and the main street to have NO CLOSED SHOPS.
Bray is not so bad Christina.they say their mainstreet is dead but try living in arklow. The only thing you’ll see is traffic
Hello Miss. Finn, you left out the thriving “Wicklow Wolf” Craft Brewery, at formerly the Molloy’s bakery, to the rear of the coffee shop on Quinsboro Road.
It’s great to see the Wicklow Wolf Craft Brewery doing well, I am a big fan it myself. We covered their story last year actually. You can read more here if you’re interested: http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/beer-wicklow-local-beer-1772150-Nov2014/
And also the many artisan Italian cafes and restaurants that have sprung up. Bray has become a foodie destination and that is what we should be building on.
What is this recovered state you talk of? Everyone walking around with gold rolex’s and knee deep in P***y? There never was a celtic tiger idiots. There was lower taxes however. All middle class and upper middle should rise up against this crippling left movement.
Get a grip, you’re raving.
That was to Gavin.
I used to travel there to work at Dell years ago, always thought it was a miserable depressing place personally.
Must be a while since you were here – check out the Harbour Bar, Carpe Diem or Caffe Letterario – all artisan Italian cafes and restaurants that have opened recently.
Bray is an out and out kip. I went to school there and worked there for many years. Never go back there if I can avoid it
It has really changed in recent times and become a bit of a gourmet artisan destination with food. Check it out.
I work in Bray and am on the main street most days for a short spell. I’m sorry to be so finicky but the article is incorrect regarding the lack of shops on the main street. There are at present 3 womens clothing shops and two shoe shops as well as one menswear retailer and a Dunnes Stores on the main street. There are a further two womens clothing shops on adjacent streets less than 30 seconds walk from the main street. As a Balbriggan resident I look at Bray main street as a thriving shopping area!
Traffic is a huge issue for Bray. It’s crippling the town. I’ve lived here all my life and the traffic is so bad that I would rather drive to Dundrum to get something being assured of a parking space then sit in half an hour of traffic trying to get down Main St. For starters there is far too much green time for Lower Dargle Road and Corke Abbey- and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Do none of the councillors commute outside Bray? Castle street and the Dublin Road are at a virtual standstill no matter what time of the day- even at the weekends- are they blind??
Indeed, since we cannot destroy our cultural heritage to make bigger roads, we need shuttle buses that go into the centre and to push to get the LUAS soon. The traffic choking up the place makes it very unpleasant and polluted.
Anyhoo, Bray. a great destination since the DART was put out there back in the Mid-80′s, the Seafront was unmatched in the Dublin area…
The Bray Head Hotel to the Harbour Bar and everything in-between, brilliant!
The Main Street however, always seemed grey and dull, a collection of old-fashioned shops stuck in the 1980′s, the Copy&Paste shops like Costa and Starbucks, and also McDonalds won’t drag people out from the seafront area… Though the Mermaid Arts centre has some great acts on now and again…
The traffic doesn’t help either, constant bumper to bumper and having to walk on narrow footpaths, not very pleasant..
Maybe build an underground/multi-storey carpark somewhere off the main street as having to dodge cars, half of them parked up on the path would put me right off..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii7nw1gUE6Q
That is all.
It could do with a couple of decent restaurants! Other than that is was a great place to grow up. Very strong community feel to it. Like everywhere it has its knackers but sure they grow out of it eventually. If only the Main Street didn’t die a very slow death if still be living there but sure that is the counsellors and bray town planning departments fault I guess. They seem to have made a balls of everything.
What about Carpe Diem and Campo de Fiori (artisan Italian food); Caffe Letterario (artisan Italian food); the Dockyard; Daata Tandoori with its regional Indian specialist food. Is it a long time since you have eaten in Bray?
The place is a kip due the disproportionate number of criminal drug dealers and skangers eho infest what onetime may have been a picturesque town. I lived there for 5 miserable years next door to one of those criminal families and our lives were made into hell on earth. In the 80′s the Concerned Parents against Drugs did a great job in inner city Dublin by moving drug dealers out, unfortunately they relocated to Bray. I apologise to the good citizens of Bray.
You obviously lived in a bad spot, but Bray is great these days, with lots of new artisan eating places and a great alternative vibe.
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