There have been calls for a targeted and sustained Garda crackdown on gangs following a surge in car thefts, joyriding, and car burnings on the northside of Cork City.
Sinn Féin Cllr Thomas Gould said there is real fear in the community at the escalation in the illegal activity after one homeowner, who confronted thugs trying to break into his car outside his front door, was chased into his own home and threatened.
Ballyvolane crew in attendance at a Car Fire in the Kilbarry area.
— Cork City Fire Brigade (@CorkCityFire) August 19, 2018
Firefighters extinguished the fire with use of a high pressure hose whiles wearing Breathing Apparatus sets. Car fires expel highly carcinogenic smoke which can cause a concern for our firefighters health. pic.twitter.com/sCSYPCGBgj
“This is the level of intimidation at the moment. The gangs involved in this think they can operate with impunity,” he said.
Cllr Gould spoke out yesterday after another stolen car was found burning in a field in the Kilbarry area of the city on Sunday evening.
He said it was the third such incident he is aware of on the northside in just four days.
A car was found burned out on the Kilmore Road in Knocknaheeny last Thursday.
A second car was found burning on the road in the White’s Cross area on Saturday.
And at around 7.30pm on Sunday, Mr Gould alerted the emergency services when he saw another car burning in a field in upper Dublin Hill, near Kilbarry industrial estate.
Firefighters using breathing apparatus tackled the blaze and warned that car fires expel highly carcinogenic smoke.
The burned-out remains of at least eight other cars are rusting in the same field.
Mr Gould said residents who witnessed one of the more recent car burnings told him that the gang members involved went on the rampage immediately afterwards through a nearby housing estate, damaging cars and homes, and stealing work equipment from a van.
“It is very frustrating and upsetting for residents who see this going on, and who don’t see anyone being held to account,” he said.
“The concern I have is that when those involved think they can get away with this, it will lead to an increase in the seriousness of the criminality they may get involved in.”
“It will require a lot of work to identify and tackle those involved. It will take an increase in Garda manpower and resources.”
Mr Gould raised concerns earlier this year about the re-emergence of joyriding in the city after an almost 70% spike in the number of reported car thefts in the first quarter of the year.
Shocking scene in Dublin Hill Upper / Kilbarry where a car was burned out at 7.30pm in the evening. The people who are doing this have no respect for the fire men/women’s safety or for the owner of the car or for the local community & owner of this field. pic.twitter.com/sYqD71eKp4
— Thomas Gould TD (@ThomasGouldSF) August 19, 2018
Garda figures presented to a meeting of the Cork City Joint Policing Committee in April showed there were 75 reports of theft or the unauthorised taking a vehicle in the Cork City Garda Division in the first quarter of the year — up from 45 for the same period last year.
Mr Gould and his party colleague, Mick Nugent, said at the time that they had concerns that unless there was a concerted Garda crackdown on the gangs involved, they had real fears that the practice of joyriding — which once blighted the city — could gain a foothold amidst a new generation.