car break ins Dublin/Wicklow mountains

BarryD

True Alun and that would avoid the entrapment issue.

ThisRegard

I agree with what you say Barry. Car alarms are only of use to attract attention if people are around, on a quiet weekday there could be nobody in or within earshot of a carpark for a long time. Even at the top of Three Rock where the gate is up to the tarmar access road, somewhere you'd think there'd be plenty of people passing, there's a whole load of broken car glass on the ground.

Give the nature of the car parks as you say a little imagination is required, cameras like Alun suggested, or even a bit of surveillance and pull them in up the road with the stolen goods on them. The cars they're driving probably aren't even registered to them anyway so maybe a registration number wouldn't be of much use in tracking them down later. It's all down to resourcing though.

jd

Members of SAI are reporting break ins on different beaches along the east coast.

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=44182
http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=43923
http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=44140
http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=43131

etc

FrostyJack

Any time I go to Leopardstown there is always a rake of smashed windows on the cars in the carpark. Some where like that you would think would be easy to watch but alas not. Putting a few heads on spikes around the carpark would be a good deterrent.

nomdeboardie

FrostyJack wrote: »

Any time I go to Leopardstown there is always a rake of smashed windows on the cars in the carpark. Some where like that you would think would be easy to watch but alas not. Putting a few heads on spikes around the carpark would be a good deterrent.

The 'retail park'? :eek:

FrostyJack

nomdeboardie wrote: »

The 'retail park'? :eek:

The race course on race day.

Roen

So a couple of years on and a few pages of responses to the OP has there been any general consensus reached on what we as a community can do?

I am aware of the MI advice and follow it. However I am not fully convinced that this will lead to a reduction of damage to cars. After all if a band of tramps take the time to drive out to a remote region they may as well break in to make doubly sure you haven't hidden anything away.

It's been an issue in the Comeraghs for as long as I remember. I was warned by locals in France about break ins while ice climbing there in Feb. I also see that Kitesurfers, surfers and anglers in this country are experiencing the same problems.
So it's fair to say that it's an issue that affects a wide spectrum of outdoor users across a wide geographical area.

I don't want to come across as a Charlie Bronson type (my back is too bad for that carry on) but it is clear that the local authorities and the Gardai either can't or won't take this issue seriously.

I'm prepared to put money and time into this. Whether it's buying a cheapie cam set up or hiding myself in a ditch for a day at a time.
Anybody else?

silverharp

Roen wrote: »

So a couple of years on and a few pages of responses to the OP has there been any general consensus reached on what we as a community can do?

I am aware of the MI advice and follow it. However I am not fully convinced that this will lead to a reduction of damage to cars. After all if a band of tramps take the time to drive out to a remote region they may as well break in to make doubly sure you haven't hidden anything away.

It's been an issue in the Comeraghs for as long as I remember. I was warned by locals in France about break ins while ice climbing there in Feb. I also see that Kitesurfers, surfers and anglers in this country are experiencing the same problems.
So it's fair to say that it's an issue that affects a wide spectrum of outdoor users across a wide geographical area.

I don't want to come across as a Charlie Bronson type (my back is too bad for that carry on) but it is clear that the local authorities and the Gardai either can't or won't take this issue seriously.

I'm prepared to put money and time into this. Whether it's buying a cheapie cam set up or hiding myself in a ditch for a day at a time.
Anybody else?

where is Dexter when you need him? while its limiting Im getting on with just parking in villages so for a Dublinite that leaves me with Enniskerry, Laragh, Blessington or Roundwood , the odd time Ive used a taxi at the beginning or the end if I didn't feel comfortable leaving the car exposed. 12 Euros will get you from Glencree back to Eniskerry which is a a lot cheaper than a new windscreen.

nomdeboardie

silverharp wrote: »

where is Dexter when you need him? while its limiting Im getting on with just parking in villages so for a Dublinite that leaves me with Enniskerry, Laragh, Blessington or Roundwood , the odd time Ive used a taxi at the beginning or the end if I didn't feel comfortable leaving the car exposed. 12 Euros will get you from Glencree back to Eniskerry which is a a lot cheaper than a new windscreen.

Or if there were a sneaky place to hide a bicycle in Glencree, that would be a fairly downhill cyle back
Caveat: big 'if'

silverharp

nomdeboardie wrote: »

Or if there were a sneaky place to hide a bicycle in Glencree, that would be a fairly downhill cyle back
Caveat: big 'if'

Ive had lunch a few times in the Glencree café and the staff are very nice, Im sure if you asked them to leave your bike locked outside the café (but inside the walls of the centre day/overnight they wouldn't have a problem with it. just need to check when the outer gates will be open.

Alun

Just a heads up that MI now have a large car sticker you can place in your car window, see below ...

http://mountaineering.ie/aboutus/news/2013/default.aspx?iid=348

I've no idea if it'll work or not, but I've just ordered a couple anyway. They're 'free', well actually €0.01 as their online shop probably won't allow things to cost zero, but you pay P&P. Ended up costing €2.52 for two.

ThisRegard

I'm completely cynical, while I admire the effort I think it will prove completely useless. Your average scumbag will take no notice anyway, they don't with car alarms, and it may even act like a beacon and think, mmm, what are they hiding ? I hope I'm completely proved wrong though.

Orion

This was posted on the MI facebook page a couple of weeks ago. Someone replied that they'd tried it before with a sign saying no valuables etc. They got back to their car with the window broken and another note saying "Just checking".

nomdeboardie

Orion wrote: »

This was posted on the MI facebook page a couple of weeks ago. Someone replied that they'd tried it before with a sign saying no valuables etc. They got back to their car with the window broken and another note saying "Just checking".

That's what I would be afraid of - that it would give some scumbags an impetus to just vandalise to spite the owner. It could go either way, of course, as the note makes it obvious that the owner hasn't forgotton about the risks of theft, so more busineslike thieves may move on. Anyway, thanks for the update Alun.

Maudi

The low life that break into peoples cars for valuables have been doing it for years..the gurda have been "driving around"for years after them..its not a deterrent ..they have and always will be one step ahead..it dosent work...the only thing that will work and will work overnight thus releasing the gurda from aimless sunday spins over the bog is a bait car type operation..

CardinalJ

I mountain bike up in Ballinastoe in Wicklow most weekends. The top car park above Lough Tay is constantly full of tourists cars getting broken into.

A few months ago noticed the Gardai had three or four cars/4x4s around while I was getting ready to go around 8am on a Sunday. They just told me not to park up there. They said the scumebags rob cars on a saturday night and then use them to get up to break into other cars every Sunday. They were looking for a load of lads who'd abandoned a Transit and asked me to ring them if I saw them in the woods.

Unless they start doing sting/undercover operations, nothings gonna happen to deter them. Its such a shame, paints the country in a brutal light to tourists.

mattser

CardinalJ wrote: »

I mountain bike up in Ballinastoe in Wicklow most weekends. The top car park above Lough Tay is constantly full of tourists cars getting broken into.

A few months ago noticed the Gardai had three or four cars/4x4s around while I was getting ready to go around 8am on a Sunday. They just told me not to park up there. They said the scumebags rob cars on a saturday night and then use them to get up to break into other cars every Sunday. They were looking for a load of lads who'd abandoned a Transit and asked me to ring them if I saw them in the woods.

Unless they start doing sting/undercover operations, nothings gonna happen to deter them. Its such a shame, paints the country in a brutal light to tourists.

I remember going to Ballinastoe a few years ago fancying myself as a mountain biker, Cardinal. I lasted about 5 minutes before I came a cropper on a big tree root. Never again. I admire you lads. At least the Gardai were making an effort the morning you met them. I understand your ' sting' strategy, but if they catch some boyo's there will be another few the next morning.
It's not exclusive to this country, either. The national parks in the U.K. where I've hillwalked over the years, have a big problem too. Bottom line seems to be leave NOTHING in your car, and hope for the best. And make sure you have adequate insurance to cover damage to your car.

Rantan

mattser wrote: »

I remember going to Ballinastoe a few years ago fancying myself as a mountain biker, Cardinal. I lasted about 5 minutes before I came a cropper on a big tree root. Never again. I admire you lads. At least the Gardai were making an effort the morning you met them. I understand your ' sting' strategy, but if they catch some boyo's there will be another few the next morning.
It's not exclusive to this country, either. The national parks in the U.K. where I've hillwalked over the years, have a big problem too. Bottom line seems to be leave NOTHING in your car, and hope for the best. And make sure you have adequate insurance to cover damage to your car.

yeah have to agree with you here - did one of the MS courses in wicklow recently and the instructor said she didnt even bother locking her car anymore when she went out...left absolutely nothing in it and left it open so they could just open it to check...so they didnt need to break windows...have to say I like the weird logic..if theres nothing worth stealing eventually they wont bother trying i would assume/hope??

BarryD

Unpleasant incident at weekend up at Baravore in Glenmalure. My wife & daughter were with a group of other women staying at Glenmalure hostel and parked cars overnight at Baravore carpark. Wet & wild at times, river up & down. They came down in morning to find one of the women's cars was burnt out, rather traumatic for all. Other cars including our own car was damaged as it was parked nearby and heat melted headlight etc. Any information as to culprits gratefully received.. happened sometime on Saturday evening/ night.. thx

Alun

So sorry to hear that Barry. I'd always imagined that on days when the weather is bad, that the kind of people who do this kind of thing wouldn't be out and about, and not as far afield as somewhere like Baravore but clearly that isn't the case. Were there any other cars parked there, or at any of the 'camping' spots along the road to Baravore?

rick_fantastic

ticknock is a hotspot these days aswell, woman i work with had her car broken into up there (laptop, phones, clothes, bags all stolen) when she reported it was told it was the 9th or 10th car done up there in last two weeks

Alun

rick_fantastic wrote: »

ticknock is a hotspot these days aswell, woman i work with had her car broken into up there (laptop, phones, clothes, bags all stolen) when she reported it was told it was the 9th or 10th car done up there in last two weeks

... and as long as people leave stuff like this in their cars in places like this, then the perpetrators will continue to target cars parked there as there's a chance they'll find something worth stealing.

Stop making it worth their while and eventually they'll get the message, but then maybe I'm crediting them with more intelligence than they're due.

BarryD

Alun wrote: »

I'd always imagined that on days when the weather is bad, that the kind of people who do this kind of thing wouldn't be out and about, and not as far afield as somewhere like Baravore but clearly that isn't the case. Were there any other cars parked there, or at any of the 'camping' spots along the road to Baravore?

That's what I would have thought too, you have to make a bit of an effort to get down to Baravore. There were other unrelated cars there in the afternoon including a 4WD which got stuck crossing the ford and had to be pulled out. She's not sure re campers but I'd have thought it was unlikely.

Gardai from Rathdrum came up, said there have been break ins there in past but nothing like a car set on fire. And there's no doubt that it was torched as the vehicle was pushed a few yards from where it was parked, window smashed in original park spot etc. In fact if they hadn't pushed it, several of the other cars including ours would have gone up in flames as well..

rick_fantastic

i always take our 2nd car (hatchback almera) and leave the backseats down / boot visible and empty glovebox open so they can see into car.. been lucky so far.. would never leave the decent car anywhere

ScottStorm

Just a thought, did the burnt out car have any football or religious stickers paraphernalia, or tthat sign saying not to bother breaking in etc? Just wondering if there was a reason they might have burnt it out rather than just rifled through it and on to the next one.

BarryD

Dunno about stickers, wouldn't have been an MI sticker on it - here's result

Alun

Looks like an old model Nissan Micra ... would it have had an immobilizer fitted? If not, they may have tried to hotwire it to steal it and failed and either torched it out of spite, or maybe it caught fire itself due to the bungled hotwiring? Might also explain why it was moved a little, i.e. trying to move it on the starter motor alone.

Chris_5339762

Bit of a bump but this thread does seem to have been going on for a few years.

Its still the same up there... a car at Massey Woods on the road with a window broken two weeks ago, one at the Kippure carpark with both a passenger window AND rear window done and one at the Sugarloaf smashed as well.

I don't think there really is a solution sadly... I'm not going to stop hiking because of this... but I do expect it to happen to my car someday. One thing that concerns me about this thread though is that people are saying to leave doors unlocked so they can have a root around. I thought about this and it seems like a sensible idea but read your insurance policy very carefully first... mine anyway (123.ie) will not cover me for ANYTHING if my doors aren't locked. So be careful.

I empty my car completely so there is nothing in it at all... I take the dashcam and cable up the hillside with me. Glovebox open, storage underneath seat open and visibly empty, boot cover removed (left at home) so people can see there is nothing in my car at all. Whether it would stop them, I doubt it... but in any case a smashed window can easily be repaired but at least in my case they won't get anything from the car.

masculinist

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

One thing that concerns me about this thread though is that people are saying to leave doors unlocked so they can have a root around. I thought about this and it seems like a sensible idea but read your insurance policy very carefully first... mine anyway (123.ie) will not cover me for ANYTHING if my doors aren't locked. So be careful..

I was about to say the exact same thing myself. Check with your insurance company first or else prepare for disappointment if you do put in a claim.

Limestone1

masculinist wrote: »

I was about to say the exact same thing myself. Check with your insurance company first or else prepare for disappointment if you do put in a claim.

But you would only leave the car unlocked if there was nothing to steal and if there was nothing to steal what would you be claiming ?
If the car is gone or burnt out or damaged, surely you wouldn't go highlighting that you left it unlocked.