Gardaí launch home
security campaign

THREE-MINUTE RULE ADVISED

Wednesday October 07 2009

AFTER a recent spate of home burglaries in the Malahide area, local gardaí are mounting an information campaign aimed at increasing awareness of home security According to Malahide gardaí, the householder needs to take measures to delay the burglar for at least three minutes. If you can do that then you vastly increase the chances of the would-be thief giving up and going somewhere else. A Malahide garda spokesperson said: 'Burglars like easy opportunities. If they have to make a lot of noise, spend a lot of time or risk being seen, the chances are they won't bother. 'A good rule of thumb is the 3 minute delay test. If you can deny entry for 3 minutes or more - chances are the burglars will go elsewhere.' There are many measures you can take to hold the burglar are all listed on a helpful home security checklist that is available on the garda website at www.garda.ie. But among the things to look out for is making sure that your external doors are fitted with secure locking systems and that glass panelled doors are reinforced so that they cannot be shattered.
                 
A system that allows you to view callers before opening your door to them is helpful, as is a door chain or limiter. Spare keys should never be left under the mat or flower put and instead should be left with a trusted neighbour and external doors should always be locked when you are away from home, no matter how short the time is that you spend away - an alarm of some kind is a must. Sheds, garages and outhouses securely locked and householders should also remember to secure all the home's windows before leaving the house unattended. Making the house look like it is always occupied is a good idea and in the light of recent trends in burglaries, keeping your car and house keys in a location that is not visible from the outside is crucial.

These are just a sample of the sage advice available on the garda website and gardaí in Malahide are asking residents to give themselves the best chance possible against the burglars by taking some or all of these measures now.

CCTV helping tackle crime

By Margaret RODDY
Wednesday October 28 2009

THE installation of CCTV cameras in Dundalk has led to a reduction in crime, according to new figures released by the Department of Justice. A survey carried out showed a 10% decrease in crime in the areas covered by the CCTV scheme following its introduction in 2004, while crime also dropped by 7% in the Dundalk District.

This drop in crime occurred at a time when there was a 16% increase in Drogheda town centre and 13% increase in the then Louth-Meath Division.

There was a 16% reduction in violent personal crimes and an 11% drop in thefts. However, there was no evidence of the impact of CCTV in detection rates.
The CCTV scheme has the support of townspeople and businesses alike, with an overwhelming majority thinking it was a good idea.

The survey found that people feel safer since the CCTV cameras were introduced. Business people reported staff and customers feeling safer as a result of the scheme. Just over a fifth of people felt that CCTV interferes with personal privacy.
There was also a high level of consensus amongst Gardaí in Dundalk that the CCTV system has reduced the level of offending in some pre-existing hotspots.

The survey recommended the extension of the CCTV scheme with additional cameras to be placed at The Ramparts/Distillery Lane, Chapel Street/Roden Place, Long Walk, and Castletown Road/Bridge Street junction.

It was found that the cost of the scheme is made up for by the reduction in headline crime. 'CCTV in Dundalk is therefore good value for money as the total cost is covered almost twice,' stated the survey.

It also found evidence of more efficient and effective deployment of police resources and improvements in court processing.

There was no evidence of crime being pushed out into the areas not covered in the scheme and in fact areas adjacent to those covered by the cameras benefited from their presence.

'Overall, all the advantages and none of the disadvantages resulted from the installation of CCTV in Dundalk with the sole exception of a decreased overall detection rate.'

- Margaret RODDY

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