Traveller in Blue Van Skerries Bank Holiday

townparks

Hi

A traveller rang the doorbell of my house in Skerries today.
When I answered he looked taken aback and said he was interested in buying my car.
My car isn't for sale, neither has it got a 'for sale' sign on it. I'm sure he was just checking if anyone was in house.
He got into his blue, reasonably new van, very quickly. When I ran out and starting writing down his English reg, his wife in the van started screaming at me.
I rang the Gardai in Balbriggan, who said they knew exactly who I was talking about and said he is known to them.
He lives local. Of course, if you or I were driving around in a UK registered van, we'd be stopped by Gardia immediately. Not your average traveller, who can be out on the Bank Holiday using a UK registered vehicle to tour areas and call to houses with extremely dubious excuses. Lucky I was in, you may not be when he calls to your home. He's tall, balding about 50.

TangyZizzle

A lad knocked on our house a few weeks ago asking if we knew who owned the BMW parked across the road, he said he takes cars and sells them for scrap. He then asked did we know who owned the car parked outside our house (my Mothers car!)

A few days later, my girlfriends Mam went out and pulled a flyer out from under her cars window wiper, it said "If you would like this car removed for free, ring xxxxxxx,"

Same lad? I didnt see what he was driving.

The Hill Billy

By the description the same guy has approached my neighbours and my wife about taking my car. This ias happened three times despite being told in no uncertain terms that it is not for sale.

Martron

This trick seems to be doing the rounds at the minute. The GF father was at home when the doorbell rang. he was not going to answer it and left it. he then heard a car reverse up the drive and the door bel rang again. he answered to a suprised looking man who then stuttered out about he car for sale!!

he lives in rathfarnham however. not related but odd all the same!

dan_d

Blue transit van doing the rounds around Palmer Road, Thornchase, St.Catherine's areas in Rush round 10pm last night...just driving up and down cul-de-sacs.Didn't notice the reg.Keep an eye out people.

tatli_lokma

a neighbour of mine also had a similar experience, guy called to the door interested in buying the car. the difference here was the car actually WAS for sale. anyway, the girl who lives in the house was cautious in dealing with him on her own, so told him to come back later in the day as she was just about to have their dinner - she actually wanted her husband to come home so that she was not alone when he came back. The guy rang from a landline number later in the day and they made a time for him to call the next day.

guy came back the next day, went for a test drive with the hubby, and said yeah I'll take it. He seemed fairly familiar with Balbriggan as he knew where he was going on the test drive. Anyway, as they pulled up to the house both the guy and the husband made moves to get out of the car - literally as the husband had one foot in and one foot out of the car, the fella jumps back into the car and drove off! passenger door flying open!

Police have been informed but basically don't seem to give a sh!t.
This guy was also a traveller.

So there may be many reasons for their calling - scams, theft etc.
i hate to see this - I have a neighbour who is a traveller and a nicer more decent neighbour you could not ask for. When other members of the travelling community behave like this, they all get a bad name.

NorthDub

I had someone knock at my door this evening and ask was the car outside mine, while it is I just waved them away, Dont know if it was that they were just walking through estate or more sinister, there was two men and a small child (non-national). Gave me a bit of fright as was on my own, alarm will be well and truly set tonight

Wishbone Ash

townparks wrote: »

if you or I were driving around in a UK registered van, we'd be stopped by Gardia immediately. Not your average traveller, who can be out on the Bank Holiday using a UK registered vehicle

The VRT on a commercial vehicle is only a token amount (€50 IIRC) compared to several thousand for a private car. That may explain the more lax attitude of the Gardai towards them. I've seen several vans decked out in legitimate business livery including their ROI addresses but on UK plates! The Gardai/Customs don't seem too bothered about these either.

Cincikchick wrote:

When other members of the travelling community behave like this, they all get a bad name.

Strange though that when other members of the settled community behave badly, we don't all get a bad name!

Helmet

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The VRT on a commercial vehicle is only a token amount (€50 IIRC) compared to several thousand for a private car. That may explain the more lax attitude of the Gardai towards them. I've seen several vans decked out in legitimate business livery including their ROI addresses but on UK plates! The Gardai/Customs don't seem too bothered about these either.



Strange though that when other members of the settled community behave badly, we don't all get a bad name!

That's because we're not in a minority. It's tougher to generalise a group you belong to and interact with everyday.

Beasty

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Beasty