Criminals try every house and car door handle in Limerick estate before stealing vehicle

A GANG of criminals tried every house and car door handle in a housing estate in County Limerick before stealing a vehicle, Limerick Live has learned.

A garda spokesperson confirmed they are investigating the unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle outside a domestic residence in Kildimo on Saturday, January 17 shortly after 6am.

A message was sent out locally on social media to warn others.

“Any car that was unlocked was searched. Unfortunately, they gained entry to one house and got the keys of a car and stole that car. They also tried houses and cars up around the hurling field. 

“We want to advise everyone to lock your houses, sheds and your cars at night. Keep your car keys away from the front / back door. This is the second time in a few months this has happened and people need to be vigilant.

"If you see or suspect anything unusual please contact the gardai immediately,” reads the message.

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CCTV footage has also been shared of the perpetrators in the housing estate.

It is not known if it is connected with a joyriding gang from the city with members as young as 13 who are believed to be behind a spate of burglaries and car thefts in villages in Limerick, Tipperary and Clare.

It is believed that the gang travel out in a car to pre-ordained locations with four or five teenagers in the vehicle. Homes have been broken into with the explicit purpose of stealing car fobs or keys and stealing cars outside.

One source told Limerick Live in December: “They each try to steal a car and head back to the city. They travel out late at night or in the early hours of the morning. They will go into an estate and keep trying door handles until they find one open. They will enter the house, try and locate car keys before driving off. They also steal cars parked up as some vehicles are easier to rob than others.

“Depending on the vehicle it could be used to commit a criminal offence or else they will just joyride around estates in the city. They fly around the place, do donuts, take videos and put them up on social media. It is reckless in the extreme.

"If they need diesel or petrol they just go into a filling station and drive off but they’ll only do it once as they know they’re on CCTV. They generally dump the car afterwards.”

They added that the perpetrators can be as young as 13 or 14.