Gardai close in on pair who stole van with kids in the back

By Louise Walsh
Two young children had a lucky escape after being dumped by the side of the road by car-thieves who robbed the van in which they were passengers last week.
The thieves took a split-second opportunity to seize the van when the male owner left it momentarily to get a parking ticket at Abbeylands (near the Fire Station) in Navan at 4.30 last Wednesday afternoon.

It’s understood the van was parked right beside the parking meter when a male and female jumped in and sped off, not noticing there were children in the back.
The opportune thieves then stopped the van a short distance away at Timmons Hill and dumped the two children at the side of the road before driving off at high speed.
The young girl and boy, believed to be aged five and 10 years old were found by a passer-by who alerted gardai.

It’s believed both children were upset but unharmed by the ordeal.
The car was later found abandoned about ten miles away, on a lane off the Duleek Road outside Kentstown.
Meath’s Crime Prevention Officer Sgt Dean Kerins is now urging all car-owners not to leave their keys in the ignition, even for a split second.
“You may think you’re only running out of the car for a minute but a split second is all a thief needs to take a car and there’s always someone on the look-out, watching for an opportunity.” said Sgt Kerins.

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“Every year, we come across incidents of car theft after the owner has left the keys in the ignition at filling stations, while going to pay for petrol or get a coffee. It seems these type of crimes occur particularly outside shops or at filling stations in built-up areas.
“In all cases, victims say that they saw no-one around and only ran into the shop for a minute - but a minute is all that’s needed.”
“Thankfully the children were alright in this incident but we would appeal to all drivers not to leave their cars unattended at all.”
Sgt Kerins added that the number of similar car-thefts increased in winter months when owners would start their cars to defrost them in the mornings and leave the car unattended, with the engine running.

“Coming into the winter and owners will start the car to de-ice it and then disappear back inside to finish breakfast or get ready. A thief will jump inside in an instance and can even drive off a car whose engine is running without the keys in the ignition. These cars can go for up to a kilometre before they cut out.
“You can get sprays and all sorts now to de-ice cars without leaving them running and unattended. The simple message is not to take a chance.”
The incident sparked a huge public reaction of horror when it was initially posted by the Meath Chronicle online last weekend.

Meanwhile Mayor of Navan, Fianna Fail Cllr Tommy Reilly described the car theft as “scandalous.”
“I’m led to believe that the children where dumped from the car at the next traffic lights. Can you imagine the ordeal for those children. It must have been terribly traumatic.
“If that person had any decency, they would have abandoned the car safely nearby as soon as they saw the children in the back - who throws out a child?
“I hope the gardai will be successful in catching whoever did this.”

Gardai said that up to Tuesday, no arrests had been made but they were investigating the whole incident and following a definite line of enquiry.