Garda crackdown on bogus callers

GARDAÍ have launched a major initiative in north and east Cork aimed at cracking down on bogus callers who are robbing the elderly and other vulnerable people.

As part of the project, community gardaí from the Cork North Garda Division will conduct visits to elderly people, especially those living on their own.

Gardaí will also target known bogus contractors through increased checkpoints and surveillance operations.

They will distribute 20,000 detailed advice cards on how the public should handle unknown or unexpected callers to the door.

Inspector Tony O’Sullivan said the initiative was in response to an increase in robberies by people claiming to be council workers, energy company officials, tarmac contractors and even in two cases a garda.

Apart from robbery, they are also trying to extort large sums of cash from the elderly for shoddy work.

Recalling one incident in Mitchelstown recently, Insp O’Sullivan said a gang of men sought to power-wash an elderly person’s driveway after agreeing a price of €200. However, when the work was completed the gang looked for €2,000.

Gardaí were called and the person didn’t hand over the amount sought.

Insp O’Sullivan said the information cards advise people not to open the door to strangers and, if they do, to make sure the security chain is on.

“The occupant of the house can show the caller the card. On one side of it asks the caller to write their business, name and contact details. The Garda crest is also on this so if somebody has criminal intent they are likely to leave without providing those details,” Insp O’Sullivan said. “Anyway most genuine businesses will have their own cards and will have a landline contact number, not just a mobile number.”

Chief Superintendent Kieran McGann, who is in charge of the Cork North Garda Division, said gardaí would do everything in their power to protect the elderly, but he said neighbours and relatives and members of the community had to help them.

“Elderly people require constant help and advice. They are less likely to be victims of crime than younger people but are vulnerable to burglary, theft and even at times attack,” Chief Supt McGann said.

He said it was regrettable that trusting elderly people were falling victim to bogus callers and gardaí were determined to tackle it.

“We appreciate there is more door-to-door calling these days by legitimate sales people. However, the criminal fraternity has become more active as well during these difficult economic times,” he said.

He said if somebody calls to an elderly person’s home and they are not happy with them they should immediately contact their local gardaí: “We will be orchestrating more neighbourhood watch and community alert meetings to highlight this issue. Uniformed gardaí will also be making calls to check on elderly people and by doing this we will increase our visibility and hopefully deter criminals.”

He said gardaí in the division would be sharing intelligence with their colleagues in other parts of Cork as well as Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary and Waterford to monitor the movement of such criminals.