Motorists urged to be vigilant when parking cars due to theft of catalytic converters
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There number of incidents in which catalytic converters have been stolen from cars has more than doubled in recent months compared to 2019 prompting gardaí to promote a public awareness campaign.
According to figures released at the recent Kildare Joint Policing Committee meeting, crimes of interfering with the mechanism of a vehicle jumped by 140% from 5 between September and December 2019 to 12 for the same period in 2020.
Gardaí say the increase in thefts of the car parts is a reflection of the rise in price of palladium and rhodium metals.
Some people reporting neighbours to gardaí for Level 5 breaches - Kildare policing meeting hears
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There are signs among the general public that the current Covid-19 lockdown is having a major impact, the latest quarterly meeting of the Kildare Joint Policing Committee (JPC) heard.
Supt Oliver Henry of Naas Garda Station said he believed that members of the public were a lot more frustrated with the current Level 5 restrictions compared to previously.
He told a recent meeting held online that the measures were having a significant impact on public morale in general.
He also said that there was an increase in phone calls from people to complain about neighbours who they claimed were carrying out non essential works on their homes or gardens.
Kildare gardai to mount round the clock Christmas checkpoints
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The checkpoints will operate around the clock.
While traffic volumes have reduced by 70% at times during this year, there has been a 133% increase in detections for drug driving. The Kildare Joint Policing Committee and the Kildare Road Safety Working Group are appealing to road users to be responsible and use the roads safely and wisely over the festive season.
Inspector Tony Connaughton of the Naas District said gardaí can stop a motorist randomly at a checkpoint and test them for an intoxicant. If the driver proves positive for alcohol or drugs, they can be arrested and brought to the local garda station for processing.