Gardai issue crime prevention appeal to rural Limerick homeowners

GARDAI area appealing to people living and working in rural areas of County Limerick to take measures to protect themselves and their property during the spring months.

Divisional crime prevention officer, Sergeant Ber Leetch, have moved to allay the fears of people living in isolated areas of who might be living in fear or who may feel feel helpless.

"Garda crime statistics show that crime often occurs in waves; you may have a spate of burglaries and thefts in a particular area, for a time before things return to normal. This is because the criminal moves on or they are detected," she said adding that it's important for people to know what's going on in their locality.

"Forewarned is forearmed, so knowing what is happening in your area is important. Text Alert is set up in many communities all over limerick. If you are joined up, you will receive texts about suspicious activity in your area but you can also share information about suspicious or unusual activity in your immediate area, it’s about preventing crime through garda and community involvement," she explained.

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Sgt Leetch says having good neighbours is also important for those living in rural communities but that personal responsibility is also important.

"Each of us have a responsibility to keep our property and ourselves safe. A passing criminal may spot a weakness in security and take a chance. Secure all doors and windows, light up the house, use timer switches when you are out. Store keys safely and away from windows or letterboxes," she said,

Homeowners are also advised to record the details of any valuables they have in their home and to no store large cash amounts at home.