Questions regarding issues such as community policing, drug-related intimidation, drug prevention and additional Garda resources were raised at a public meeting of Wicklow County Council Joint Policing Committee (JPC) at the Kilcoole Community Centre on Wednesday, November 22.
QUESTIONS regarding issues such as community policing, e-scooters, drug debt intimidation and anti-social behaviour were raised at a public meeting of Wicklow County Council Joint Policing Committee in the Arklow Bay Hotel on Wednesday evening.
A spate of sheep thefts has caused alarm among rural communities in west Wicklow.
There have been reports of thefts from flocks in Hollywood, Dunlavin and Shillelagh. Farmers and people living in rural areas have been urged to be on the lookout for suspicious activity, particularly at night time.
Tomas O’Connor, IFA county chair for Kildare/west Wicklow, said he had heard reports of several incidents in west Wicklow. “It’s very worrying for farmers,” he said.
A spokesperson for Baltinglass garda division said investigations were continuing into two separate thefts of a substantial number of sheep in the area in recent months.
Provisional data suggests there has been a drop in most types of crime in the county last year, which has been linked to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chief Superintendent Denis Ferry gave an overview of policing achievements in County Wicklow in 2020, based on provisional data at the recent meeting of Wicklow County Council s Joint Policing Committee meeting (JPC). However, the Chief Superintendent expressed concerns about a potential rise in cases of domestic abuse.
Chief Superintendent Ferry cautioned while the number of assaults causing harm had reduced, gardai were seeing a rise in assaults in a domestic setting or where the parties knew each other. In these types of crimes, statements could be withdrawn or cases not proceed to court. 86 reports of assault causing harm had been identified, down from 98 in 2019.
A spate of sheep thefts from areas of west Wicklow has caused alarm among rural communities in the county.
There have been reports of thefts from flocks in Hollywood, Dunlavin, and Shillelagh. Farmers and people living in rural areas have been urged to be on the lookout for suspicious activity, particularly at night time.
The current strong trade in sheep means that farmers can face a severe financial hit due to animal thefts, which they may struggle to recoup.
Tomas O Connor, IFA County Chair Kildare/West Wicklow, said he had heard reports of several incidents in the west Wicklow area.