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RURAL CRIME IS not a new issue, but it has certainly been making the headlines over the past few weeks.
Why? Because more and more people in isolated areas are living in fear due to the culmination of cutbacks to Garda resources in rural areas over the past seven years.
In many parts of the country, the local Garda stations are either opening for a reduced number of hours a week, or they have been closed altogether.
This means that the vastly reduced number of gardaí who are on duty in these areas are over-stretched and under-resourced, which is essentially leading to greater freedom for criminals to operate.
For me, personally, although my farm is just 40km from Dublin, the cutbacks to Garda resources in my locality are deeply felt.
While Balbriggan is the nearest town to my home, at 4km away, if I ring Balbriggan Garda station in case of an emergency, I will be re-directed to the guards in Ashbourne which is three times further away, because officially I fall under their jurisdiction.
In the past, Laytown Garda station would have been my port of call, but it is now only open a few hours each day.
The situation is very difficult for gardaí also, who desperately want to do the best job possible, but that is being made extremely difficult by the system that is being placed upon them.
This scenario is echoed all over the country and, as a result, people are living in fear.
About four years ago, my own farm was broken into and my work laptop was taken, which contained all the payroll and farm accounts.
While the laptop was only worth a couple of hundred euro, the information contained on it was invaluable and the hours and hours I spent trying to retrieve data and back things up was soul destroying.
I was lucky. I had a small break-in and things were taken, but nobody was hurt.
Too often, we are hearing horror stories of elderly people being tied up and brutalised, sometimes to the point of death.
The fact that so many rural communities are now more accessible than ever, thanks to the much-needed improved motorway network, means that criminals can get away more easily and more quickly than ever, and that is also exacerbating the situation.
This issue has been bubbling along for many years and the recent media attention should be used as an opportunity to communicate ways that we, as communities, can tackle the problem and provide support for those who have been affected or who potentially could be.
Steps to deal with rural crime
Firstly, community alert is vital. Thieves target areas and when they have exhausted that area, they will move on.
Strong local communities are deterrents to thieves, and it is everyone’s responsibility to create these kinds of community networks.
If you are living alone or in a particularly isolated area, make sure you have an arrangement with a neighbour, friend or family member to call in and check on you a few times a week.
Likewise, if you live near someone who could potentially be vulnerable, make it your business to check on them regularly.
For every community that has a strong alert system, there’s another one that doesn’t, and it is that community that will be the next target for thieves.
Secondly, I cannot stress enough how important it is to never keep cash in your home.
If thieves get a whiff that you have cash in your house, they will stop at nothing until they are sure they have bled you for every penny, and will come back repeatedly until they’re sure you have no cash left.
Realistically, we cannot completely eradicate rural crime. That would be impossible.
But what we can do is take steps to protect ourselves against it and, in the event that we are broken into, do what we can to avoid being hurt.
My advice to anyone targeted by burglars would be to do everything in your power to ensure that they leave your property as quickly as possible.
If that means handing over your car keys and bank cards, then so be it.
They are replaceable and the banks and insurance companies have structures in place to help you deal with that. The most important thing is that you are safe.
Darragh McCullough is the deputy editor of Irish Independent Farming and a presenter of Ear to the Ground. He will MC a public seminar on the topic of rural crime, hosted by Škoda, at Sheehy Motors, Naas, at 7pm tonight.
The event will also be addressed by crime author Paul Williams, and will be the first in a series of Škoda-hosted ‘Nation Talks’ which will be rolled out across the country in the coming months to discuss topical issues in suburban and rural Ireland. Email rsvp@skodaevents.ie. to register for free admission.
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In rural areas they will beat you to a pulp even if they don’t get any money. Have had an Uncle go through this. Have seen first hand what they can inflict.
I live in a very rural area and burglaries, joy riders, robberies etc is nearly just expected these days, when it takes the guards hours to response to a call sure it’s a thief’s game
Hence why I have 2 protection trained Rottweilers, CCTV and bar outs weapons hidden around the place
My theory is simple, I catch someone on my property and they are as good as dead
Living in fear….very common theme lately.
Slightly sick of this line…Gardaí “desperately want to do the best job possible”! I hear stories all the time which show clearly that too many Gardaí are really not interested in doing “the best job possible”. Example, a bike (worth over 500 euro) was stolen from a bike shop. Shop rings Guards to report it and tells them they can give them the cctv…Guards say ‘ah no sure it’s grand, we’ll keep an eye out for them’…pathetic!
You go into a bike shop bingo and ask a shop assistant for assistance with buying a bike. He is up to his eye balls with 28 customers before you so he asks you to have a look around. Who do you blame? The shop assistant for not giving you the time or assistance or the shop owner for not employing more staff.
The shop assistant.
We live in Dublin my husbands van was broken into last night this is the fourth time we’ve been hit our house was cleaned out 5 years ago. A lot of the problem in Ireland is people are more than happy to buy stolen goods. There is a mentality that if you didn’t steal it yourself it’s ok. It’s not until there is no market for stolen goods the low lives who commit the burglaries will continue to do so. Next time you’re offered something please consider this
Bring on Padraig Nally II to sort some of these out
Padraig, you’re a legend. We need more of you.
Ministers and TDs have adequate Garda protection.
If no one else will say it I will. Rural Ireland is busy arming itself. When it all gets really horrible only then will the politicians take notice. We are going through hell with crime and no arrests or convictions. People’s treasured family possessions are now targets for smash and grab. Old people sleep with pitchforks and slasher hooks next to the bed. Those caught robbing are bailed out and doing it again within hours. We have gone from a society where we never locked our doors or cars to one where we need 24 hour monitored alarm systems, booby traps and voluntary guarding of old people. Theres no response to crimes in progress either. It’s all getting a bit Mad Max. Thank you Enda.
Big increase in farmers with firearms alright. I know a few who have only in the last 3 years bought shotguns or rifles.
Only a matter of time before some thug gets his head blown off and not before time either…..bring it on.
Ah but sure the government needed the €400.000 they saved from closing all those stations. They don’t forget rural Ireland when an election comes , they want your vote.
Not just rural Ireland, inner city Dublin and it’s suburbs have an 80% increase in house burglaries in the last 12 months.
I can echo Darraghs statements. Only yesterday my wife & I had cause to go to the local garda station (Laytown) only to find that there’s a notice saying it’s opened from 3pm to 5pm & 9pm to 10pm & that Ashbourne should be contacted. Meanwhile local Gardai are on patrol in the locality on a 24hr basis. Yet all 3 garda cars assigned to the station are sitting outside. I could hear Gardai inside the building. We went to Ashbourne & according to the very helpful garda at the desk we’d be lucky to get hold of Laytown during their opening hours. We’re just down the road from Drogheda garda station yet Ashbourne takes the call. When our neighbours were burgled by the howya boss brigade it took 2 days for any follow up despite a 999 call being made as weapons were produced during the burglary. The owner of the house is what we’ll describe as ‘connected.’ The Gardai came up & warned him about taking matters into his own hands.
No cutbacks for the government ministers that implement these policies, hope people remember this at election time.
Ever notice when there is a protest there is never a shortage of Gardai. Or when a Minister goes out for a photo op. And there are never any stories of break ins at homes of Ministers or any of the elite which live in the exclusive parts of the country, where they have an abundance of Gardai. Nope, it’s only the working class and those living in rural areas which have to deal with the ‘cut backs’ to the Gardai. This government and it’s cronies in big business get on just fine with the Gardai resources so there is no reason for them to change the current status quo.
I am actually surprised that there hasn’t been fatalities recently as the fear/paranoia that this scourge are inflicting on innocent people has changed the very fabric of the countryside. People are arming themselves (with good reason) and it is merely a matter of time before something very nasty happens.
People are blaming the Garda cutbacks etc and I believe that the real problem lies on the next rung up the ladder.
The judicial system is a carefully tended machine which deals with actual ‘justice’ as a sideline and for window dressing to its real function which is to keep the perpetual trough full for the golden circle of hungry snouts.
The stark reality is that so many decent people in this country are literally being terrorised by a cadre of repeat criminals who literally laugh at the law and its inbuilt impotence. Collecting dozens of convictions like useless penalty points is a sport for these people who seem to have no shortage of apologists.
The Gardai do a tough job in spite of their bad leadership and corrupt
misuse by a golden circle through the state (but that’s a different thread) but as court reports show, people are walking the streets nonchalantly with tens upon tens of previous convictions (without adequate punishment). On bail (Another disgraceful legal licence to run amok), suspended sentences etc.
Those multiple convictions that these people collect reflect the work of the under resourced Gardai.
The fact they are free to continue their criminality reflects the work of the bloated vile judiciary.
A judge or barrister will never live in a situation of isolation and fear for your livelihood, family or life so they literally have no conception of the reality for so many vulnerable decent, law abiding often elderly citizens. Yet they are the ones who are responsible for protecting society from these malignant parasites. And they are failing…miserably.
Another High profile Padraig Nally case is just a matter of time, and I reckon there are a few ‘missing’ people over the years who broke into the wrong house and never left the property, because defending your own life and your own family in your own house against brutal violent lowlife repeat offenders makes you the criminal and your freedom will be put in the hands of barristers and a judge who has no experience or comprehension of the reality of fear that is their daily lives.
The criminals are laughing at us, they are laughing at the Gardai, and the judiciary are keeping their head down. And licking the gravy.
Great comment.
go out and vote at election time ..this is the main reason why i want the current government gone. not spending money where it is needed while they p*ss it against walls paying for consultants because they can’t do their job
The earlier comment from Get Lost Eircodes is quite to the point. The many millions spent on this crackpot project (€38m?) would have provided a lot of useful and needed services. I know from experience that the Garda on the beat is a deterrent to burglaries; not all are committed by Dublin-based vermin, but the local variety. The closure of rural Garda stations was a bad idea that saved , it’s reported, less than €1m.
This is the kind of missleading waffle that goes to the grain in me. Does having Gardai in the towns and cities stop burglaries in the towns and cities, so what evidence is there to suggest that having a local Garda idling around collecting gun and dog licience’s and making sure the pubs shut on time would prevent this type of crime, These criminals don’t care if they’re caught, What’s going to happen to them ?, They’d rob the Garda station while he was out on his rounds if they thought it was worth robbing.
Look it was totally idiotic keeping these part time stations open, they did fúck all for preventing rural crime except in peoples heads.
Maybe but the fact remains we are electing and seriously overpaying people to represent us and all they are doing is fixing up their mates and actively hurting us. The truth is if you want to see a Garda ring in reference a Dobby water meter and helicopters and everything will be out. The IFA shenanigans is exactly what FG is doing look at judges
Do you live proinsias in an area where one of the stations where. Because I do . in peoples heads sure. Crime has gone up in my village and the environs since it closed. We barely had a single crime till it closed, now more burglaries . what’s better having a gardai presense or having none. Like most things having something is better than having nothing.
@littleone it would be nice if you had crime statistics to back this up, hearsay is not worth a bollox.
Where’s your statistics?
Here you are proinsias .This problem has grown in recent years. For example, burglaries in Co Offaly have increased by 67% in the last five years. Like I said my area. So stop talking bullocks yourself.“In fact the Government has made it easier for criminal gangs to target rural Ireland. There were 332 Gardai based in Offaly in 2012 but as of February 2015 this figure had fallen by 58 to 274.http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/columnists/michael-clifford/the-real-crime-is-not-arresting-decline-in-rural-ireland-363599.html
The two tiered recovery financed by sacrificing rural communities.
I know this is a simple question to a difficult topic but if the garda stations are closed does this not mean them Gardas are on the road, not sitting in stations stamping passports and drivers licences?
In theory that is right, but the closures have coincided with a significant reduction in the number of gardai. People are blaming the problem on the closure of stations, when it really the headcount that is the problem.
Garda cutbacks don’t cause crime, rising poverty and disillusionment in recession tends to lead to rise is robberies. I still think that local Garda stations should be kept, but there are other issues involved with the rise.
When I was younger everyone in the local community know who the local Garda was….he was trusted and he knew most people in the area. Not the case anymore. Do the Gardai even visit the local schools? They should instead of getting the army to deliver a flag.
Garda cutbacks being felt in Dublin & suburbs too…we just don’t moan about it as much!
No you’re too busy moaning about Eircodes which is way more important!
Do you not think the €50 million spent on Eircode (that emergency services say are worse than useless) could have been better spent?
Its 2am and your 73 living alone in the west of Ireland. You hear a car pull up outside and then rustling at your front door and windows. You call the local garda atation, its been shut down so you call the next nearest station, it’s 25 minutes away. Theres only one car and its out on another call. By now the onteudera are at your bedroom door.
But don’t complain or some thick dub on a bullshit crusade will call you a moaner.
I’m from Dublin myself, the guards aren’t much use here either. I feel terrible for people in rural areas, it must be even worse especially for the elderly in the countryside, but that’s the downside of living in the middle of nowhere I’m afraid.
Also resorting to calling someone a “thick dub” says alot about you.
Has Frances Fitzgerald any responsibility for this? Or is she like the Detatched Minister for Health who appears to belive that he is not responsibile for his portfolio either.
Frances Fitzgerald is looking into it or will setup a focus group or something.
Brian..Francis is not responsible for crime…as a former social worker her particular skill set,going forward..and in conjunction with her partners and other stakeholders in this particular eh eh issue,her department will eh..commission a report by a high powered task force eh..that will be steered by eh..the commissioner of an Garda siochana and she will ensure that this will not be a resource issue going forward eh..at this particular time..but let me reassure you and the consumers that yada yada…
Everyone copy and email this article to Dara Murphy and ask for his opinion !
This government should have been forced out ages ago.is the media afraid of enda.
No offence to rural people but why is there such a huge deal made of rural cutbacks and barely a mention of urban problems where the crime rate has skyrocketed? 102 Gardai were lost from Dublin west and there isn’t a house on my street that hasn’t had a break-in. Don’t worry Joan, Leo and Co, you’re going to get a hiding when you come to the doors looking for a vote. The Garda cars in Blanchardstown station are like something out of the Rockford Files and the only time you see a Garda is when he/she is on revenue generating work checking for tax or with a speed camera in hand. Break-ins are now being attempted between 9-10pm with owners IN the house. They know that they can operate without fear of detection.
Urban areas are supposed to be full of knacks! Rural areas are supposed to be quieter and safe but it seems it’s becoming like the Wild West
they all get suspended sentence, but if we try to retaliate, suddenly we’re the bad guys.
Until the government tackles the widening gap of rich and poor, the problem will spiral, that’s the underlying issue here.
Wow, what an utterly stupid comment.
More Prisons Please
The legal lobby don’t want more prisons as their customers are repeat offenders. Somebody with numerous convictions can potentially make solicitors, Junior council and Senior Council a huge amount of money. They also make money from the damage caused in insurance claims. Of course the judges and their families are all involved in the business so the status quo is maintained. It’s a huge business and if offenders were imprisoned it would seriously effect their business. People’ lives are put in danger to allow criminals continue to prosper and the legal profession to thrive. The moral in the Gardai is shot to pieces with repeat offenders constantly getting off cries. Shame on our government.
Lots of comments correctly looking for more gardai, but many of them coming from the same people who abuse the gardai for upholding the law.
Cut backs is one thing and Gardai not wanting to bother is another…
The lesson here Mr. McCullough is to work smart and at least create backup CD’s of your data, and also backup to a cloud storage site like One Drive or Google drive…
Don’t moan and complain when your laptop gets stolen and you loose your data!
The govt are stripping rural and smalltown Ireland of Garda stations and investment.
have your say