De Valera turning in his grave over 'anarchy' in Limerick village, says TD

THE OWNER of an empty house in Bruree broken into 12 times in a year said everyone in the parish is “absolutely terrified”.

They contacted the Leader after criminals entered the property three times in the space of 10 days around St Patrick’s weekend.

“Everything has been done at least twice at this stage. The heating has been pulled out twice, the front door has been smashed three times, windows have been smashed twice. They have stolen lead and pulled out copper pipes. They know nobody lives there. They have damaged the lights and the CCTV system,” said the owner who didn’t wish to be named. The damage caused is around €20,000. They have reported eight or nine of the break-ins to gardai.

“It isn’t the guards that are wrong, it is the courts. The guards are on within minutes. The guards couldn’t be better and they have been successful. It just takes so long for a case to come to court. And if they get jail they can just appeal it and walk out of the court room laughing. More time goes by for the appeal to be held,” they said. They stress that it isn’t just them being targeted.

“The gardai are blue in the face from coming out to burglaries in the parish and surrounding ones. They know who it is, it is just to prove it. Everybody is absolutely terrified. Some houses have been done twice. They robbed a house on the night of the owner’s funeral. Their trick is to throw a cement block through the back window and grab a wallet or a handbag. It is all for drugs. It has escalated in recent months. The video that was going around really put people on edge. People are terrified,” they said.

The video they mention appeared on Facebook last month. It shows three men wearing balaclavas and brandishing shotguns. It is believed to have been recorded in Bruree. A man was arrested in the village on the same day it appeared on social media.

Nobody knows what is happening  and the feeling. on the ground better than Bruff Superintendent Brian Sugrue.

“I’m aware of the concerns and am actively taking steps to try and ensure additional policing resources for Bruree. I would like to double the number. Pat (Garda Pat McEnery) is doing an excellent job but an extra guard would make a huge difference.

“Extra patrols between Bruff and divisional resources are being requested to pay additional attention to Bruree,” said Supt Sugrue. Statistics showed there were 20 recorded burglaries in the Bruree area in 2018 compared to four in 2017 and four in 2016. Apart from Kilmallock, this was the highest for any town or village in the Bruff Garda District. Deputy Niall Collins is backing Supt Sugrue by demanding a second garda for Bruree.

“From speaking to locals there is a real and genuine fear in the area and surrounding parishes. Law abiding citizens who pay their taxes should not be going to sleep at night after a hard day's work worrying about whether their home will be targeted during the night. The area needs a second garda to provide a strong deterrent to crime," said Deputy Collins. He said the video on Facebook is the final straw.

"This is not the wild west. This is a small picturesque village in south Limerick. Éamon de Valera grew up in Bruree. He would be turning in his grave to see this anarchy taking place. The gardai are doing their best but they need more support.

A line must be drawn in the sand now," said Deputy Collins.