# Slowness (or lack?) of Gardai response to respond to break-in



## Setanta12 (17 Jul 2009)

A long story cut short from a very sizeable Leinster town;

Last week previous tenants agreed to leave* but not without rancour and aggro e.g. threatening to beat up middle-man etc.

I changed the locks the following day.

Mon/Tues 03.00 - the neighbours of my semi-d were awoken by my door (of the vacant house) being kicked in. They rang the cops who refused to come despite the noise/party as they hadn't received a complaint from the residents (there were none) or the landlord (!?). 

Thurs 17.00 - by chance a friend drove by the house and discovered the front door wide-open and rang me. The neighbours (who hadn't my number) rushed out to tell my buddy of the break-in.

18.30 (say) - I rang the cops who said they were still too busy to come out to the house at any stage that evening (remember, this is a large provincial town). After reminding them that they couldn't go out for a break-in and now couldn't come out to investigate, they said they would try to send a car around - I said we'd be there at 20.00; he immediately tried to get me to agree to call into the station. I pointed out that they couldn't see the damages an din any case I couldn't be there - it would have been my middle-man who was doing me a big favour by driving to the town to re-change the locks. He then tried to negotiate a time of between 20.00 and 21.00 for the cops to call by. I, exasperated at this stage and rather foolishly, agreed to a time of between 20.00 and 21.00.

We left at 21.30 with no sign of any cops.

This is not cutbacks - this is a lack of regard by An Garda Siochana. The guy admitted that not much can be done even though we know who the culprits are - and I do accept that, I do - but a visit by the cops to the guys (they're aged between 21 and 23) could discourage them from visiting the house again this weekend.

As it stands, I will be there every night this weekend. They will be turning up as they left a backdoor surrepitiously unlocked to regain entry.



*i wouldn't pursue them for damages, unpaid rent if they left quietly without fuss


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## niceoneted (17 Jul 2009)

Can I clarify that on Mon/Tues night when they broke in that they had a party in the house? It might depend on what the neighbours said on the phone ie that there was a party or a lot of noise going on next door and that they were people not welcome in the house. In this instance they may be a need for the owner to report same. For what happened on Thurs it is not really excusable but it may be a case that they had crimes to investigate that were actually happening. They would see it that it is nearly over 48hrs since it occurred so it's not as important in the here and now. It may be a case that they had called in the interim period but there was no one there.  I would write a 
 letter to the local Superintendent expressing your concerns and also give your neighbours your number for future reference.


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## ajapale (17 Jul 2009)

Rant moved from Property Investment to LOS.

If you have a specific question relating to Property Investment you can repost it in that forum.


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## Setanta12 (17 Jul 2009)

The neighbours reported the door of the vacant house adjoining theirs being broken in by three kicks.

The cops yesterday said that they were a bit under pressure at that time (circa 18.00) but I said that I'd have someone there for 20.00. He immediately tried to barter with me - getting the handy-man/middleman to call to the Station to make the complaint (!), then tried to say between 20.00 and 21.00 to which I agreed. 

My guy didn't leave the house, as the door took that long to put right until 21.30.  Also, the cops had taken both my number and the handyman's phone number but neither was rung to let us know that they weren't coming.


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## Guest116 (17 Jul 2009)

Maybe the gardai were busy on other call outs.


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## Setanta12 (17 Jul 2009)

Which times?  The Mon/Tues 03.00 one ? Or the period between 20.00 and 21.30 yesterday evening, in a large provincial town ? It doesn't really wash ... ... as yet, i've received no phone-calls either from them ...

We all know that making a complaint won't serve much use - but surely they're not meant to suggest this too ? (As the guy did; I suggested that I needed it for insurance purposes but also that a friendly visit/word by the cops to the guys may prevent a much more frightening scenario some other time)

As it stands, we're pretty sure they're going to be abck tonight or tomorrow night - I can't leave my property unattended.


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## Guest116 (17 Jul 2009)

You are not going to recieve any calls. Ring them again.


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## Purple (17 Jul 2009)

I called the police before when I work up hearing people downstairs in the process of breaking in.
Two and a half hours later they rang the doorbell and asked if the people were still there.

The station is a 4-6 minute drive away.


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## Guest116 (17 Jul 2009)

Purple, do you realise that your issue might not have been the only issue to be dealt with at that time? It is not possible to provide 5 minutes reponses to every call the gardai get.


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## Mpsox (17 Jul 2009)

Carlow would be a large enough town. 2 weeks ago on a Friday night, there were 2 serious arson attacks in the town, according to the local paper there were 3 Gardai on duty in the town on the Friday night in question. Given what weekend nights in most towns are like these days, that's a figure I find astonishing.


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## Setanta12 (17 Jul 2009)

It was Carlow.


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## Purple (17 Jul 2009)

aristotle25 said:


> Purple, do you realise that your issue might not have been the only issue to be dealt with at that time? It is not possible to provide 5 minutes reponses to every call the gardai get.



2.5 hours to respond to a situation where people were being threatened by burglars in their own home? …There’s not that much going on where I live. 
Anyway, I sorted things out myself. Next time I’ll do the same then call the police.


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## DavyJones (17 Jul 2009)

aristotle25 said:


> Purple, do you realise that your issue might not have been the only issue to be dealt with at that time? It is not possible to provide 5 minutes reponses to every call the gardai get.



What?? someone breaks into the mans home with his many kids asleep, that should be very high on the call list. If Purple defended his home and famliy his freedom would be at risk. AGS are little more than a joke, the only time the public interact with them is when they jump from behind a hedge in a soft speed trap area.


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## gianni (17 Jul 2009)

Purple said:


> I called the police before when I work up hearing people downstairs in the process of breaking in.
> Two and a half hours later they rang the doorbell and asked if the people were still there.
> 
> The station is a 4-6 minute drive away.




I was in an identical situation 4 years ago, (in a Dublin suburb). The Gardai responded in less than 4 minutes and made 2 arrests. I was very impresessed with their speed and efficency.


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## ajapale (18 Jul 2009)

Hi Setanta,

Why do you not pay a private security company to protect your vacant investment property?

aj


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## S.L.F (18 Jul 2009)

ajapale said:


> Hi Setanta,
> 
> Why do you not pay a private security company to protect your vacant investment property?
> 
> aj


 
Why do we pay taxes?

It is my view that the AGS are a waste of money too.

I know a guy who got attacked down in Dun Laoghaire by a gang he called the AGS.

They appeared 3 hours later so he asked what the story was.

He was told that a man was reported to have molested a child and a large gang came out of the pub (Cherrios) and someone said the man had a bag so my mate had a bag so he was attacked by 10 drunken boyos.

He was only let go when someone recognised him.

The Gardai with a smile on her face said the lads found the man and battered him.

True story.

I read this a good while ago and laughed out loud when I read it.

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showpost.php?p=639317&postcount=15


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## MrMan (19 Jul 2009)

ajapale said:


> Hi Setanta,
> 
> Why do you not pay a private security company to protect your vacant investment property?
> 
> aj


 
Are you insinuating that only private residences should come under the protection of our police force?


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## Purple (19 Jul 2009)

gianni said:


> I was in an identical situation 4 years ago, (in a Dublin suburb). The Gardai responded in less than 4 minutes and made 2 arrests. I was very impresessed with their speed and efficency.



Good for you. There mustn't have been anything good on TV in the station that night.


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## gianni (19 Jul 2009)

Purple said:


> Good for you. There mustn't have been anything good on TV in the station that night.


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## ajapale (19 Jul 2009)

MrMan said:


> Are you insinuating that only private residences should come under the protection of our police force?



No, I just think that owners of _vacant_ investment properties should pay professional private security companies for protecting their investment just like any other business really.


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## S.L.F (19 Jul 2009)

Purple said:


> Good for you. There mustn't have been anything good on TV in the station that night.


 
Maybe their kettle wasn't working.


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## MrMan (20 Jul 2009)

ajapale said:


> No, I just think that owners of _vacant_ investment properties should pay professional private security companies for protecting their investment just like any other business really.


 
So Taxi Drivers should hire security to protect their car when off duty? I don't think this particular landlord was asking too much to expect a response within say 24hrs.


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## Mpsox (20 Jul 2009)

I was at a match in Newbridge on Friday night, Kildare County v Leyton Orient in a friendly, can't have been more then 250 people at the game, 6 Gardai turned up, including 2 cars from the traffic corp. The Guards spent the match leaning up against the fence behind the goal and drove straight out the gate as soon as the final whistle blew.

I was then in Carlow on Saturday at the Kildare/Dublin minor match, good crowd, around 4000 in DCP, gardai on duty directing traffic etc aftereards. However, I'd love to know what the Gardai from the traffic corp was doing with his motor bike parked on the terrace for the entire game.?

I know this is slightly off topic but it's no wonder there are no Gardai around when you call them if they spend their time wandering off watching matches


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## markpb (20 Jul 2009)

Mpsox said:


> I was at a match in Newbridge on Friday night, Kildare County v Leyton Orient in a friendly, can't have been more then 250 people at the game, 6 Gardai turned up, including 2 cars from the traffic corp. The Guards spent the match leaning up against the fence behind the goal and drove straight out the gate as soon as the final whistle blew.



Gardai inside the grounds of GAA pitches during a match are paid by the GAA, not by the state. They're also generally rostered on specially for the match so their unit is not short staffed during the match. In the same way, Gardai escorting cash-in-transit vans are paid for by the banks, not by the state.


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## delgirl (20 Jul 2009)

Y'all need to move to Wicklow - the response for any kind of incident is much faster.

Neighbour recently had a gardener come to cut hedges. He decided to trim the top of a hedge, which is on other neighbour's side of the fence, but grows into first neighbour's garden.

2nd neighbour called the Guards and they were up with 15 minutes to admonish the neighbour for 'causing damage to her neighbour's property'.

Another incident recently also involving two neighbours. Neighbour's dogs were barking at 2am and husband next door who had to get up at 6am to go to work, couldn't sleep. His wife went next door and rang the intercom/bell on their locked front gate and couldn't get an answer. She then held the bell until they woke up. They called the guards who came immediately and were threatening to charge her with harassment. They came up the following day as well.

Hats off to the Wicklow Guards for their quick response, but I don't think they shouldn't respond to such trivial matters.


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## Setanta12 (20 Jul 2009)

In reply to a Poster's enquiry, the house was vacant for three days before it was broken into.

My call to AGS registered it as a break-in and no formal statement was required - I discovered this when I went in to make a statement/complaint.

The first call by the neighbours didn't merit a response, (or recording of the break-in by AGS) as they weren't living there - I was told that there was no identifiable victim at that time !

I discovered, when I went to look at the house that the attic was disturbed and one bottom-drawer from a chest of drawers - that, and loads of cigarette butts everywhere. We surmised that when they were being evicted under close supervision that they couldn't get their stash out and had to re-enter the house to get it.
AGS advised us that yes, these individuals were known in that trade and no, AGS couldn't/wouldn't do anything about it.

Truth be told - once I knew they had a specific purpose (their stash) and were very unlikely to be back with mindless vandalism in mind, I washed my hands off it all - let AGS (and society) deal with those boys another time. Heartless ? Yes - but I wish they were dealt with properly by AGS.


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## S.L.F (20 Jul 2009)

MrMan said:


> So Taxi Drivers should hire security to protect their car when off duty? I don't think this particular landlord was asking too much to expect a response within say 24hrs.


 
and of course what about people with holiday homes should they get private security for their 2nd homes.


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