Limerick gardai urge people to be streetwise

GARDAI have launched a major public safety campaign urging people to take personal responsibilty for both themselves and their property when out socialising.

The Streetwise campaign, which is targeting 18-39 year-olds, will run until the end of this month.

Statistics released to coincide with the launch of the initiative show that two thirds of all thefts and robberies involve mobile phones being stolen.

The statistics also show that 40% of phone thefts occur on public roads, streets or footpath, while one in five occur in a licensed premise.

In addition to the public awareness element of the campaign, gardai will also mount additional late-night patrols in locations in the city centre which have been identified as having high levels of robberies and assaults.

Sgt Kevin Courtney is also appealing to people to properly plan nights out.

"Think about how you are getting to and from a location. Let someone know where you are going and when you’ll be back. Avoid walking alone and in dark locations. Never engage with drunk or aggressive people, use your brain not your fist. Be streetwise, take care of your property, particularly mobile phones and purses or wallets,” he said.

The #mindyourstuff tag will be used on social media throughout the Streetwise campaign.