On this month’s Crimecall, Sergeant John Fitzpatrick was in studio offering prevention advice to the public in relation to Bicycle Theft.
Theft of bicycles decreased slightly in 2023 with 4492 incidents of Theft reported for the year in comparison to 4737 reported incidents in 2022. The 2024 year to date figures of 1397 reported incidents are largely in line with figures reported in comparison to 2023 figures for the same period.
- Unauthorised Taking/Theft of Pedal Cycles occur most frequently during daytime hours (12pm – 9pm) 26% of incidents reported occurred between 3pm and 6pm.
- Between 2019 and 2023 an average of 4890 bikes were reported stolen per year.
- There were 301 incidents of bicycles recovered in 2023, with 72 recovered incidents in 2024 YTD.
- Spikes in bike theft are traditionally observed over the summer period (May to August)
Locking your bike:
There are a number of different types of locks available that you can use. When choosing a lock, you should consider how much your bicycle is worth, where you will leave it, how long it will be left unattended and the strength and weight of the lock.
Most bicycles are locked using the following means:
- D locks / U locks – are rigid steel locks in a D or a U shape. They are generally heavy and strong, though the strength can vary and is normally reflected in the price.
- Cable locks – are flexible and can be used in many situations, and they can vary significantly in both weight and strength.
- Chains and Padlocks – will also vary in both weight and strength. Good quality hardened chains and padlocks do offer good security.
- Click locks – are not very common. They are generally fixed to the frame over the rear wheel, under and close to your seat. They lock your wheel to the frame, thereby stopping someone from simply riding away.
General bicycle safety advice:
Some simple but effective bicycle theft prevention advice is outlined as follows:
- Always lock your bike, even if you are leaving it for a brief moment.
- Lock your bike to an immovable object e.g. a lamppost or metal railing.
- Lock your frame and wheels if at all possible.
- Where bicycles parks are available, use them.
- Take all accessories and easily removable objects with you.
- Do not leave / park your bike in isolated, dark or dimly lit places.
- Try not to leave / lock your bike in the same place every day.
- Take at least one distinguishing coloured photograph of your bicycle.
- Keep a written record of the make, model, and frame number of the bike and any unique features that the bike may have e.g. extra fittings, attachments, markings etc. Remember to also update as the bike gets older – it is unlikely that it will still be in pristine condition and will more likely have dents and scratches.
All these items act as a deterrent and can make your vehicle less attractive to a thief.
Garda Property App:
This is a free app developed by An Garda Síochána to allow you to record and index your property, for example, bicycles, laptops, etc.
It will give you the facility to record the unique information associated with your property. Should your items be stolen, the app also provides a way of reporting this to An Garda Síochána and gives you the option to share information with us for this purpose.
You can record the make, model, serial number, colour, etc. relating to your property in addition to any unique features on equipment / property. You can also save photographs of your property.
In addition to the above information, you should consider marking your property with a uniquely identifiable brand in both obvious and secret locations and upload this data to the property app.
Your data will remain private until you wish to share it with An Garda Síochána. The app is available to download for free from the Apple Store and Android Play.
https://www.garda.ie/en/angardasiochanaapp/
Gardaí at Pearse Street Garda Station are investigating an Assault causing harm that occurred during the early hours of Friday 15th December 2023.
Shortly before 1:30am, the suspect walked from Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, in the direction of St. Stephen’s Green, continuing onto Grafton Street. An altercation occurred between the suspect and the victim on Grafton Street, during which the victim was seriously injured. After the incident, the suspect continued down Grafton Street onto College Green. He then went onto Westmoreland Street and turned left onto Fleet Street.
Garda Appeal:
- Anyone who was on Grafton Street at approximately 1:30am on the morning of the 15th December 2023?
- Did you notice the incident or did you see the suspect?
- Do you recognise the male suspect in the CCTV?
- Were you in the company of this male on the night?
- To the male suspect - can you make contact with us?
Gardaí at Kells Garda Station are investigating a burglary at a shop in Athboy, Co. Meath at approximately 2:30am on the morning of Monday 22nd January 2024.
On the morning in question, a small hatchback car, which had travelled from the direction of Navan, drove into the town of Athboy and parked on the Main Street. Two male suspects exited the car and walked in the vicinity, approaching the shop, and spent some time surveying the premises. The two men walked to the front of the shop and one of them climbed up the front of the building and entered through the first floor window.
This suspect searched two offices and removed two safes, one large safe and one small. He dropped both safes out the top floor window to the second suspect below. The first suspect then climbed down from the window and both men carried the safes to their car. The suspects then left in the direction they arrived, towards Navan.
Garda Appeal:
- Anyone that was in the Athboy, Co. Meath area in the early hours of Monday 22nd January 2024.
- It was the night of Storm Isha. Do you recall seeing a small hatchback vehicle?
- Do you recognise or know the identity of the male suspects in the CCTV footage?
- Have you come across two discarded safes? One of the safes contained a substantial amount of money, the other contained more sentimental items and documents. The photos above are similar to the safes taken. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have come across items such as these to contact the nearest Garda Station.
SUSPECT DESCRIPTIONS
Suspect 1
- Male
- Mid 20's - 30's
- Approx. 6' - 6' 2'' (182-188 cm)
- Slim build
- Grey hoodie [red stripe on hood]
- Grey Tracksuit bottoms [black pocket]
- Green coat
- Black hat and black gloves
Suspect 2
- Aged in his 40's
- Approximately 5' 8'' - 6' (173-182 cm)
- Noticeable limp
- Dark green hat
- White Asics runners
- Black coat
- Black gloves
As it is holiday season, many people are now searching online for holidays both at home and abroad. Package Holidays, City Breaks, Cruises and home grown vacations are at the centre of holiday bookings.
Online Booking
Online travel bookings amount to 70% of bookings worldwide with a market share of approximately €7 trillion globally. It is expected that by 2028, over 78% of incoming Irish tourism bookings will happen online with a net worth of around €5.7billion.
We spent 2.5million collective nights in hotels and 2.7 in B&B and other accommodation in Ireland in the third quarter of 2023 at an average cost of 100 per night. At the same time we spent 4 million overnights abroad in the same period on business, visiting friends or on holidays.
Source: CSO 2023
Criminal Abuse of Online Holiday Bookings
Criminals now see this as a lucrative source of illegal income and have devised clever and convincing ways to defraud customers. The average cost of an online holiday scam is €2500.
- Ghost Brokering where they post ‘sponsored’ adverts that offer special deals of package or accommodation offers. Customers enter their details on a dedicated webpage and then are contacted via social media with special deals created from their request which makes them trust the offer and purchase in full or send bank details to confirm.
- Fake offers of accommodation on social media with images and details scrapped from previous adverts. Special deals at knockdown prices or a recent cancellation selling cheap: “Just send your payment before it’s gone.”
- An idyllic getaway at a charming location – cheap as chips. “Just pay the seller directly to get the best price. “
- Fake competition offers of free flights or holidays where you are asked to share the message and then enter your details on a linked website.
- Last minute availability for the holiday everyone wants. “Just contact the seller directly by email and pay them directly too.”
- Site squatting where a fraudster registers a website similar to a trusted one and scrapes their content to create a fake site offering the same or similar content, that doesn’t exist.
Source: Trend Micro 2023
Purpose of Online Booking Fraud
These types of scams have two intentions.
- Entice you to buy a non-existent holiday and pay directly to the scammer or via money transfer so the other individual is difficult to trace or the money is gone quickly.
- Entice you to enter private banking details on a fake page or share them via social media or email so the other party can then access your account and clean it out.
Fraud Prevention Advice:
- Is the price unbelievable or a ‘don’t miss it’ offer – be careful of these offers that are probably too good to be true
- Check the website spelling and address – is it www.airbnb.com or is it www.airbnb.Irl.com which doesn’t exist. Is it what it should be or what you would expect it to be?
- Check ITAA (Irish Travel Agents Association) or for the Tour Operators Licence of the seller. Check with ITAA or Failte Ireland to see if they are actually licenced or registered, or if they are known fraudulent sites and offers.
- If it’s in a link in an email or social media message, hover over the link first. Does it go where it should?
- Copy out a few of the images on the offer or page and google image search them to see if they have been used before.
- Check for reviews for the site, the location and especially the seller. Are they good or equally important, are there none?
- Check the page or communication for language or spelling mistakes but remember AI has made it easier to ensure these don’t occur so the absence of any doesn’t mean it’s legitimate.
- When you are paying online check the website has the https:// link. While this doesn’t guarantee the page is legitimate, it does confirm that payments are secure and encrypted.
- Does the website have a physical contact address and number or chat service? Check the physical address on Google maps to see if it is correct or actually exists.
- Be careful about checking up holidays or sending private details including payment details using a public Wi-Fi that can be sniffed online.
- If you need a visa to enter the country you intend visiting, make sure you use the official website to obtain the visa. Just because it is first in the list of sites when you search doesn’t mean it is official.
- If it’s a competition for flights, don’t provide personal details on the linked website. Check the link first and be careful what you share.
- Fake emails telling you to confirm your flight by clicking on a link. The message usually doesn’t specify where or when you are travelling but generically tells you to confirm your upcoming holiday by following the link. Only use the official website or App to confirm any part of your holiday.
- Never make full payment in advance and never by direct payment or money transfer. Always pay in stages and insist on paying by card which brings security and peace of mind.
Home Grown Holiday Scams
These are the scams we are seeing at home for visitors to our own towns and hotels, apart from the fake accommodation offers.
- Photo scams – ask you to take a photo and they drop the camera and blame you. Demand you pay to replace it
- Rubbish Scams – someone throws rubbish or spray fake bird dropping on you and a kind person offers to help you clean up – pickpocket
- Rare Artefacts scams – offering to sell you a rare genuine artefact: especially at historic sites.
Gardaí at Cabra station are investigating an assault on Tuesday 14th May 2024, (7:30pm approx.), at Dunard Road, Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 7.
The victim had arranged to view a car he was thinking of purchasing and travelled to the above location on his own, by public transport. He walked the area for a time, waiting to view the car, when he was approached by three males.
During this incident, the victim was kicked and punched and as a result had to attend hospital. He suffered injuries to the right side of his head and right eye.
Description of Suspect
- 19-20 years old
- Average Height
- Bright blue sports shirt
- Jogging pants
- Had been cycling around on a bike prior to the incident
Gardaí at Mountjoy Garda Station are investigating a Sexual Assault at Innisfallen Parade, Dublin 7 in the early hours of Sunday morning on 17th March 2024.
At approximately 3:55am, the victim was travelling home from the South Side of Dublin City Centre when she noticed a male following her. She crossed the road over and back to ascertain if she was being followed, and the male crossed after her. During the incident, the male suspect approached and spoke to the victim and then grabbed her. The woman then managed to free herself, but was left much shaken by the experience.
Description of Suspect
- Male
- Around 5’9” or 5’10” (175-177cm)
- Approximately 24 years old
- Very young looking / baby-faced
- Slim build
- Clean shaven with good clear skin
- Dark features
- Hair: short (not shaved) and dark, slick, maybe greasy or gel
- Light denim skinny jeans
- Blue quilted jacket
- Spoke with a Spanish / Romanian accent
Gardaí at Ardee Garda Station are appealing for information in relation to a fatal hit and run traffic collision that occurred in the Louth Village of Carnalogue, in the early hours of Sunday, May 11th 2014.
Thirty-five-year-old Keith Byrne was socialising with friends in an area known as Channonrock on the previous evening, Saturday May 10th 2014. Keith left a local pub to walk to his home only a short distance away. A taxi driver passing discovered Keith’s body lying on the roadway, who was later pronounced dead. Keith’s father later identified his son, who is buried at Louth Village Cemetery.
Garda Appeal:
- A direct appeal for the driver to come forward with the assurance that they will be treated with the utmost sensitivity.
- An appeal for witnesses or persons that the driver may have confided in over the past 10 years. Allegiances, associations may now have changed making it easier for you to approach and speak to the Garda investigation team.
- For anyone with information - (driver, witnesses, family members or friends) to examine their conscience and give the Byrne family the answers they so desperately deserve after 10 years of suffering and not being able to properly grieve for Keith.
An Garda Síochána rolled out the BikeSafe programme nationally from the spring of 2023, following a successful pilot programme during 2022. This road safety initiative includes a facilitated classroom based workshop and an assessed ride led by an Advanced Garda Motorcyclist.
All motorcycle riders with a full valid motorcycle driving licence, who are fully insured, are welcome to attend the sessions. BikeSafe will benefit all riders, especially helpful for those who have recently passed their test, those getting back into riding after a break of a few years up to and including seasoned riders. The goal of BikeSafe is to allow us to share our experiences and extensive knowledge and encourage you to progress to further post-test training to help you become more skilled and assured. The rider workshops will be held across the country from spring to autumn each year.
Advanced Garda Motorcyclists are among the safest riders on the road, and through our BikeSafe workshops, participants will receive an introduction to hazard awareness and tips for making riding safer, followed by an on-road assessment ride. The workshop is intended to assist participants in identifying and avoiding some of the most common causes of collisions by using data from recent years. The main topics of Motorcycle Road craft will be covered in the Workshop session, with a focus on placement, cornering, and overtaking.
The ride-out will be led by a skilled Advanced Garda Motorcyclist who has successfully completed both the Standard and Advanced courses at An Garda Síochána. Participants will have the chance to receive honest feedback on their riding's strengths and potential improvement areas, held in a relaxed and constructive atmosphere.
An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority fully embrace the goal of VISION Zero which is to end all road fatalities and serious injuries by 2050.
Road Safety Message
During the summer months there is always an increase in the number of motorcyclists on the roads. The road traffic fatalities involving motorcyclists are always disproportionately represented. Motorcyclists represent only 1.4% of the registered vehicles in Ireland. But unfortunately, this year there has been (10) motorcyclists killed, which represents (11) percent of all fatalities this year.
By their nature, motorcyclists are vulnerable to serious injury or death if involved in a road traffic collision. The majority of incidents involving motorcycles are avoidable and all too often, are simply the result of basic errors made by riders. Statistics show that they are six times more likely to be killed on the roads than any other road users.
Our message to motorcyclists is:
- Ease off the throttle and keep within the speed limits.
- Make sure your motorcycle is roadworthy.
- Make sure you wear CE approved protective clothing & helmet.
- Read the road & ride within your capabilities.
- Be constantly aware of your surroundings - good observation is key.
- Adapt your riding to poor weather conditions.
- Expect the unexpected.
Our Message to Drivers is:
- Be vigilant at junctions. Look out for motorcycles.
- Check your blind spots.
- Increase your following distance behind a motorcycle.
- Be courteous and give motorcycles space.