Helicopter Hovering Low over Balbriggan about 4am Wednesday Morning

Frank Spencer

Did anyone else hear this earlier this moning?? I live just off the square in Balbriggan and was awoken by this really loud sound. I didn't have a clue what it was. I mentioned it to my housemate who also heard it and he said that he saw a helicopter hovering low over the main street in Balbriggan. Anybody know what was going on?

Chopperdog 2

Yes,

An elderly gentleman living alone in Clonard Street disturbed burgulars and was hit over the head with a hammer (Seriously injuired but the prognosis is that he will be ok, Thankfully).

The garda helicopter was involved in the follow up search and one individual (well known to Gardai and Balbriggan people) was arrested in connection with this horrific attack.

I will not mention any names of either parties involved.

Horrible cowardly attack. I hope the full force of the law is taken against the guilty parties.

Frank Spencer

Thanks for the reply. Hope the gentleman in question makes a full recovery.

Bluetonic

One of the nicest gentlemen you will ever meet, a very quiet and respectable man, I hope he gets well soon.

It's quite worrying as there are a lot of elderly people living on that street.

sgarvan

was awoken by the noise of it myself.
asked around yesterday and herad what happened, delighed the intruders where caught and hopefully the gentleman gets well soon.

lyda

Chopperdog 2 wrote: »

...and one individual (well known to Gardai and Balbriggan people) was arrested...

That expression has amused me since I first moved to Ireland.

Moonbeam

Are there any groups in Balbriggan who go around visiting and helping out the older members of the community?

Wishbone Ash

According to the Fingal Indo, an elderly woman's house was burgled on the same street on Monday last.

sgarvan

i believe O'Connor Crean estate agents was robbed the other night aswell. Laptops and a few othe bits taken.

Benjy

<snip>

clg23

Benjy wrote: »

<snip>

Someone should have neutered that woman years ago

meditraitor

Benjy wrote: »

<snip>

Classic

sgarvan

Benjy wrote: »

<snip>

only coping this now after reading again. brilliant

wow sierra

Moonbeam wrote: »

Are there any groups in Balbriggan who go around visiting and helping out the older members of the community?

There is definitely meals on wheels and they are currently urgently looking for volunteer drivers. I believe there is also a local branch of the Vincent de Paul but i dont know anything about them.
From what I've heard about Clonard Street and it seems like a street with a very good community spirit where the neighbours look after each other.

If you would like to get involved in community volunteering I would imagine the local Catholic Clergy would have contact details for local voluntary groups or check out the Fingal Independent.

Chinafoot

Boys and Girls,

Do not menton any names on this until the person involved is charged and convicted. Throwing out accusations like that could get boards in a lot of trouble.

LouOB

My neighbour cars (two) of them stolen outside their house. Then on sunday a dark hi-ace van hit and fun nighbour car while they away for weekend. Could not get registration as it 3am (ish)
My own car has been target at train station more than once, since i started living in balbriggan. Do not drive fancy or expensive car. Some kids are just allowed to run loose.
Getting really fed up with all the lawlessness in the area it was just a matter of time before someone got seriously hurt. Before long they will be using the Drogheda road as drive by shootings, ridiculous

LouOB

LouOB wrote: »

hit and fun nighbour car while they away

meant hit and run

clg23

20 something new gards have been allocated to the balbriggan station so hopefully this may improve things

LouOB

Seriously doubt extra garda will have impact. The last time I was in station, my car had got smashed up again in car park around corner from train station, garda actually had the cheek to say 'even i wouldnt park in the town'.

bcmf

clg23 wrote: »

20 something new gards have been allocated to the balbriggan station so hopefully this may improve things

Are these Gardai only interested in only operating huge checkpoints for cars or will they do some footwork as well?

Bluetonic

Chopperdog 2 wrote: »

Yes,

An elderly gentleman living alone in Clonard Street disturbed burgulars and was hit over the head with a hammer (Seriously injuired but the prognosis is that he will be ok, Thankfully).

Horrible cowardly attack. I hope the full force of the law is taken against the guilty parties.

Teen given four years for crime spree
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15/07/2008 - 15:57:30
A Balbriggan teenager has been given four years detention for a crime spree which included violently robbing a pensioner, breaking a girl's collarbone and a garda's nose and mugging a party of Austrian tourists.

Judge Katherine Delahunt said the 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, “clearly had no regard to the terror he caused his victims”.

The teenager and an accomplice broke into a 78-year-old man's home, and when they learned he didn't have any money, the accomplice hit him with a hammer before they ransacked the house.

He also told a 19-year-old girl to “shut the f**k up” when she fell and broke her collarbone after he chased her before tearing her iPod from around her neck and fleeing with his accomplice.

Sergeant David Campbell told prosecuting counsel, Ms Gerardine Small BL, that the youth also robbed “iPods” and cash from train commuters and assaulted a group of Austrian tourists.

Judge Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court described his crimes as “nasty and vicious” and suspended the last year of the sentence on condition that he cooperate with the probation service and undergo random drug tests on his release from custody.

She noted that a probation report before the court indicated that he was at a “modest to high risk of re-offending” but accepted that he had made attempts to rehabilitate.

Sgt Campbell said the teenager and his accomplice were drinking cans of beer on the Dublin-Balbriggan train on May 5, 2007, when they invited a girl they met to come to Balbriggan Beach with them.

She ran off when the pair demanded her belongings but the teenager chased her down and pushed her over, breaking her collar bone.

He was taken into custody in Balbriggan and when Gda Vincent Healy went to his cell to wake him up to meet his father he suddenly headbutted the garda and broke his nose before punching him three times.

Sgt Campbell said that when he was restrained, gardaí felt it was unsafe to attempt to interview him and he was left in his cell. Gda Healy suffered from broken teeth and lacerations as well as the broken nose.

A group of Austrian tourists were on the train back to Dublin on September 23, 2007, after visiting Newgrange when the teenager and an accomplice approached them and told them to empty their pockets.

Sgt Campbell said that when they refused the boy's accomplice punched one of the group. One of the tourists hit him back but was beaten up by the two youths who then took his “iPod” and €270.

The two thugs were arrested shortly after they alighted, having been identified on CCTV footage.

Sgt Campbell said that on October 30, 2007, the boy was again on the train at Balbriggan when he grabbed a ladies handbag and ran off. The handbag contained an “iPod”, a “Blackberry” phone and cash.

That night an 18-year-old youth was with his girlfriend outside St Teresa's School in Balbriggan when the boy asked him for a lighter but then punched him and pushed him over before taking his phone. He also searched his pockets before fleeing.

Sgt Campbell said that at 2am the following morning, 79-year-old Paddy Blanch heard a bang as he slept in his home on Clonard Street before being confronted in his bedroom by the youth and an accomplice who said they would kill him if he didn't give them money.

They demanded his ATM card and when the elderly man said he didn't have one, the accomplice hit him across the head with a hammer which Sgt Campbell said he believed was taken from a train where it was intended for use to break windows in an emergency.

Sgt Campbell said the thugs “pulled the house apart” before they fled because they thought gardaí were on the way. CCTV footage caught them earlier that day breaking a local florist's window with the hammer.

He told defence counsel, Mr Luigi Rea BL, that the youth admitted his guilt after his arrest for each offence and said he was sorry.

Sgt Campbell said it was usual for him to offer the excuse that he was “off his head” on drink and drugs.

He had 15 previous convictions including burglary, threatening behaviour and escape from custody.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhgbsnidcwkf/

Frank Spencer

Good spot!

Ain't that the bad pup?

Gillo

Ok so legally he's not an adult, but that's a joke that he can't be named:mad:

That said no doubt someone here knows his identity, don't go posting it.

Frank Spencer

Gillo wrote: »

Ok so legally he's not an adult, but that's a joke that he can't be named:mad:

That said no doubt someone here knows his identity, don't go posting it.

Yeah but you can PM it to me & Gillo if you wish!!

Moonbeam

bcmf wrote: »

Are these Gardai only interested in only operating huge checkpoints for cars or will they do some footwork as well?

I have seen them out among the housing estates in the morning and walking around the town in the evenings.There is definately an increased visual presence,which can't do any harm!

Gillo

Buck_Naked wrote: »

Yeah but you can PM it to me & Gillo if you wish!!

Considering I only moved to Balbriggan last year, I'm not gonna know who it is so don't pm me.

My point was that's it crap the way they cannot be named and shamed for their crimes, same as the guys who killed the two Polish lads in Drimnagh.