Masked raiders target elderly man in raid on home

GARDAÍ are searching for masked raiders who attacked an elderly man after breaking into his West Cork home on Halloween night.

The frightening attack happened in Skibbereen after the man, in his 70s, went to answer what he thought was a knock on his front door. However, on opening the door, he did not see anyone.

Moments later, while inside his home at Ninety-Eight Street, he heard a noise at the rear of the house and began to investigate.

He was confronted in his kitchen by two men wearing balaclavas who hit the pensioner a number of times before fleeing.

Although badly shaken by the ordeal, the householder did not require hospital treatment.

Gardaí believe the motive was an attempted robbery.

The break-in occurred some time between 8pm and 8.30pm on Monday. Gardaí are anxious to hear from anybody who was in the Ninety-Eight Street area around that time who might have seen any suspicious activity.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Skibbereen Garda Station at (028) 23088, or Clonakilty Garda Station at [phone].

Meanwhile, a number of burglaries were reported in other parts of west and north-west Cork over the bank holiday weekend. Gardaí are anxious to trace three weapons stolen during a burglary at Tourard, Freemount between 7pm and 2.30am on Sunday/Monday.

Thieves ransacked the house which was unoccupied, during those hours, making off with cash and the firearms.

A Garda spokesman said the stolen weapons were a Rizzini under and over action shotgun, a Bigham bolt action single-barrel rifle and a Lamber shotgun.

Anybody with information about the break-in or who may be offered the weapons for sale is asked to immediately contact Kanturk Garda Station at (029) 20680.

Gardaí are also anxious to trace a young man and woman who broke into a house at Island Road, Newmarket, on Sunday night.

A Garda spokesman said when the intruders were disturbed they shone a torch at the householder.

“The male claimed to be a garda which was not true,” the Garda spokesman said.

The couple were probably in their early-20s and fled empty-handed and may have driven off in a blue-coloured Peugeot.

Anybody with information on that incident is asked to contact Newmarket Garda Station at (029) 23088 or Kanturk Garda Station.

Finally, gardaí in Charleville have confirmed they are treating as suspicious a fire at a hay barn early yesterday.

“The fire was reported to have broken out at 2.35am and quite a number of large bales were burnt before it was brought under control,” a Garda spokesman said.

It happened at Rathmorgan, about a mile east of the town.

“The scene is being examined by our technical experts and inquiries are continuing,” the spokesman said.

Anybody who saw any suspicious activity in the areas is asked to contact Charleville Garda Station at (063) 21770.