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EVER HAD YOUR bike stolen? It’s a major hassle.
One TD thinks we could help combat the problem by introducing ‘bait bikes’ to help catch thieves.
The practice takes place in other jurisdictions such as London and San Francisco.
A bait bike is a relatively valuable bicycle equipped with a hidden GPS device police use to catch thieves.
The bike is left unattended or poorly locked in an area where bicycles tend to get stolen, or where other thefts have recently occurred. When it is stolen, the tracking device automatically alerts police to the theft, and where the bike is located.
When the scheme was introduced in certain colleges in the US, bike thefts reduced by up to 40%. There was a 45% drop in bikes being stolen at Cambridge rail station when a pilot programme was trialled there.
The idea has really taken off in California, with BaitBike.com’s Jason Cecchettini and Manny Leon starring in their own reality TV show about finding bike thieves ‘Caught Red Handed’.
Fine Gael’s Brendan Griffin wants a similar system introduced in Ireland. He asked Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald about it in the Dáil recently.
Fitzgerald said An Garda Síochána is “proactive in encouraging the public to protect their property, including bicycles”, noting that “a range of measures are in place to prevent and tackle the theft of bicycles”.
She added that the range of measures being pursued by gardaí include working with bicycle retailers and communities to encourage and promote bicycle registration.
In addition, information leaflets on bicycle theft have been circulated and a bicycle sticker campaign has also been operated in areas where bicycles are locked by their owners.
“Gardaí also provide presentations to neighbourhood watch schemes, policing forums, schools, places of employment, and consult with apartment and building management companies on bicycle security and safety generally,” Fitzgerald said.
A spokesperson from the Garda Press Office said they couldn’t discuss initiatives that may or may not be introduced due to ”operational reasons”.
“We advise bicycle users to exercise vigilance securing their bicycles and to report all theft or attempted theft to their local Garda station,” he stated.
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Only About 50 years overdue.
Various types of ingredients for sale
I only wish they had banned it altogether and the Ballinasloe fair as well. It’s just cruel look where most of them poor horses end up. Starving on land that is not suited or them with people who really not give a s**t about them.
tesco??
Yes and you can get a bite to eat when you are there
I’m sure it would be a lovely day out with the family now!
it surly will boss
That’s it steam roll decades of tradition, it’ll b a joke and the market in any shape will cease to exist in any form within 6 months… The councils intent I’m sure….
Here’s hoping
Maybe what you say is somewhat true Paul, but the council had all the ammunition they needed to extinguish the fair after the two shootings and attack with a slash hook.
*effectively extinguish
Wasn’t only the Council who had the ammunition
The widespread maltreatment of the animals didn’t help the traders’ cause either.
200 years of tradition wiped out by DCC at the stroke of a pen. And all because some yuppies bought fancy apartments in Smithfield and didn’t want to share the square with the market once a month. Shame on the Councillors who voted to effectively end what was a fantastic day out for Irish people and tourists.
Fantastic day out for tourists ?? People attacking each other with slash hooks and shooting each other ??? Hardly normal behavior!!
Hope so
May be so Con. They could have ensured the law was rigorously enforced there first of all, rather than limiting a monthly fair to once every six months
I wonder how ferocious DCC would have been in bringing in these bye-laws if these were council flats in Tallaght or Clondalkin overlooking a square.
Con, this horse fair is a relatively new fad its not been around long enough to be regarded as a tradition. 200 years ago that part of Dublin was rural and what took place was a farmers market with all animals bought and sold. Are any of these people proper farmers, I wont bother with a question mark because I can make a very positive guess.
Dave, you don’t have to be a farmer to own a horse.
Graham, you can’t lose – there will be a book (anyway) written about the loss of a 200 year old tradition … or how Smithfield was modernized, in spite of culchies/farmers/travellers, kids from Finglas
Dario, the pen in the wrong hand is mightier than a kalishhnikov
@Con. You dont have to be a farmer but it helps. Helps the horse get raised in the right conditions. If there is a book about the loss of a ’200 year old tradition’ then that book will be B.S. People come to Dublin to live in a city and Smithfield is now central Dublin, do you not want Ireland to modernize?
Awaytafuk wi dem horses boss
Where’s the beef !
The Cobblestone hopes it’s a great success! For the past few years most pubs in Smithfield/Stoneybatter area would close during Horse Fair Day till about 5pm, hopefully this will mark a new era for all involved but mostly the Horses. Smithfield Horse Fair/DCC have put on a program of events including photography, talks & trad music from 9.30am http://dccartsoffice.newsweaver.ie/flyer/1h9ir8kot0d
Larry good. M a. N No. I TO Tacke. The. Lottttttttt. RAw Hide. Mn. Mn. Mr Bundey
Jack you do work
In the Knackerd
Smell box
In. The BogggggS
Clara
Glad for colm kiernan grand man and always looks after his horses
have your say