'Ten-year-old shoots pellets' at vehicles in Limerick
CHILDREN as young as 10 and 11 are using guns to shoot pellets at passing vehicles in Limerick, it’s been claimed.
And some are shining lasers into the eyes of drivers in a move which can cause them to lose control of their vehciles.
The incidents on the northside were brought to the attention of councillor Tom Collopy, who claimed youngsters are “giving the finger” to the gardai as they feel they cannot be prosecuted.
He made the comments at a special meeting on anti-social behaviour at which senior gardai were in attendance. The claims were not disputed.
“Ten and 11-year-olds were using BB guns with plastic pellets. They were aiming them and shooting them at passing vehicles,” said Cllr Collopy in relation to an incident, alleged to have taken place on Wednesday last.
In relation to later that night, he said: “It would appear some of the same cohort were using lasers to shine them in the eyes of passing motorists. It can disorient your eyesight for seconds at a time and you can lose control of a car.”
Councillor Collopy says his main concern is the age of the perpetrators, saying what they are doing is a “gateway crime” which can lead to more serious criminal activity later on in life.
“They don’t seem to understand the dangers inherent in carrying on like this. It’s dangerous, but to them it’s fun,” he said.
He added that he believes “four individuals” are responsible for half the anti-social behaviour which takes place in one city estate.
“They are aware the gardai cannot touch them. And if a response time is required, it will take a long time. The older criminal cohort know they can carry out soft crime and get away with it. You can’t have a policeman on every corner,” the Sinn Fein councillor added.
A garda spokesperson said the force “does not comment on named individuals or on remarks made by third parties.”
It also emerged at the meeting that fewer than 10 arrests have been made following an operation to tackle the misuse of scrambler bikes in the city.
Officers put in place a plan back in March to target those using the vehicles on the greenway between the city centre and University of Limerick.
Superintendent Andrew Lacey, Henry Street garda station, confirmed the numbers to Labour councillor Conor Sheehan who had initially called for the measures.