Homeowners urged to beware of bogus callers after spate of incidents in recent days

Gardaí are warning homeowners to beware of bogus callers due to a spate of incidents across Meath in recent days.

In three separate incidents over the last week, individuals impersonating gardai have called to homes of elderly residents in an attempt to gain access and take money.

Crime prevention officer, Sergeant Patrick Smyth is appealing for people to be vigiligant in the run up to Christmas. Describing what happened during the incidents he said:

"Yesterday an individual called to a house in Kilbrew in Ashbourne impersonating a garda, they produced what appeared to be a garda badge and had a bundle of fifties in their hand and asked the homeowner if they had lost money. Thankfully that homeowner said he had seen similar incidents reported in the local newspapers and he immediately closed the door and called the gardai.

"Another incident occurred at 2.45pm in the Oldbridge area of Drogheda, where a male posing as a member of An Garda Siochana called to a house of an elderly man, showed ID and produced cash asking if this belonged to the gentleman. The man said he knew it was a scam and closed the door and the perpetrators fled the scene.

"On November 29th, Trim/Navan Road, male called to the rear of a house shouting Garda Garda, he flashed a fake garda badge and showed the occupant he had a wallet full of cash and asked the resident if it was their money that was stolen in a burglary. Unfortunately the homeowner went to check his wallet and in doing so the bogus caller took the wallet and ran out the back of the house."

Sergeant Smyth's advice is that if you have any concerns about the person at the door, you should not answer the door even if they are purporting to be a garda.

Genuine gardaí will always provide details to allow you to confirm their identity with the local garda station and will be patient while you choose to so.

Sgt Smyth is reminding people that Gardai will never approach a homeowner about cash and if they are not happy with the identification of any person who calls to the door, not to let them in and to phone 999.

Homeowners and residents are urged to make sure their back door is locked as often one person will distract them at the front door while another goes around the back.

The crime prevention officer has also warned that there has been an increase of car thefts due to Japanese imported vehicles that have arrived into Ireland with no immobilisers and no alarms.

Latest figures from gardaí show there were just over 3,000 car thefts in the first half of this year.

That is an increase of 77% on the same period in 2021 and up 10% on 2019.

They say a significant proportion of the increase is second-hand imported vehicles.

"Car dealers should be conscious of this new phenomenon, and they should be advising people and perhaps adapting the cars before they sell," he said.

He has also urged car owners to get a security device on the vehicle such as a chain around the steering wheel to combat against easy theft.