Garda car stolen by prisoner

MagicSean

Cant link the story because I'm on the iPhone but a Garda car was stolen yesterday by a man that had been arrested and placed in the back. I'm just wondering what are people's opinions on the introduction of cages to separate the front from the rear of a patrol car. Personally I think it's a good idea but I'm sure there are some downsides I don't see.

msg11

Stolen garda car abandoned in Armagh

Gardaí are searching for a man who stole a garda car and drove it across the border into Northern Ireland before abandoning it in south Armagh.
The man was stopped by two gardaí driving near Lusk, Co Dublin, at around 9.30pm last night.
He was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and placed in the garda car.
However, he managed to get into the driver's seat and steal the car.
He then drove it through the toll bridge outside Drogheda, 60km cross the border, before abandoning it in Co Armagh.
The PSNI is assisting with the investigation.
Gardaí say they believe they know the identity of the man and are confident of apprehending him.

I dunno about cages, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to fit the fleet with trackers that can turn the car off remotely. Also, thank god no one was killed by this maniac.

kerry4sam

MagicSean wrote: »

Cant link the story because I'm on the iPhone but a Garda car was stolen yesterday by a man that had been arrested and placed in the back. I'm just wondering what are people's opinions on the introduction of cages to separate the front from the rear of a patrol car. Personally I think it's a good idea but I'm sure there are some downsides I don't see.

I presume that this is the link for this story.

Well I hope it is and their isn't another story like it this morning!

Mycroft H

How on earth did he make it from Lusk to Armagh without being stopped?

He managed to travel 80km without being stopped is a massive failure on the Gardai considering they had air support as well.

Red face moment here.

MagicSean

BX 19 wrote: »

How on earth did he make it from Lusk to Armagh without being stopped?

He managed to travel 80km without being stopped is a massive failure on the Gardai considering they had air support as well.

Red face moment here.

He rammed thtough the road blocks. He would also have had access to the communications system.

swiftblade

I take it he wasn't handcuffed?

Mycroft H

swiftblade wrote: »

I take it he wasn't handcuffed?

And the keys were left in the ignition? :rolleyes:

swiftblade

BX 19 wrote: »

And the keys were left in the ignition? :rolleyes:

Im not Garda bashing, but sadly you do see that all too often.

I suppose he could have been cuffed on the front. I hope it wasn't one of the decent patrol cars.

1922

two words......RUN LOCK

MagicSean

1922 wrote: »

two words......RUN LOCK

That's not standard unfortunately. And if you turn the ignition off the blue lights drain the battery very fast.

AGC

MagicSean wrote: »

He rammed thtough the road blocks. He would also have had access to the communications system.

He didn't ram them. At one point he slowed right down on the M1 and just drove around the road block on the grass verge!

He wasn't handcuffed. Most drink drivers aren't

Random

unless theres something more to this then what it appears the gardai really should have a policy to handcuff anyone whos under arrest!

were all human, we leave the keys in the car and what not but if he was handcuffed properly then i dont see how this could have happened!

scholar007

I imagine the conversation would have went something like this

Whiskey tango to control

Go ahead Mick

Ah Paddy - can ya send out the fiesta and can ya tell the lads to be on the lookout for a stolen veh hickle reg # 05 D - Its a white focus......

Do ya need back up Mick, the Volvo boys are tooling up here?

No Paddy we need a lift back to the station - a suspected drunken driver has just hikacked the official patrol car....

Holy **** - Can you imagine the paperwork on this?

AGC

AGC wrote: »

He didn't ram them. At one point he slowed right down on the M1 and just drove around the road block on the grass verge!

Evidence?

ZoneAlarm

should have been cuffed at the back, back of the hand to back of hand, that way they cannot even put there feet thru there arms.

AGC

foreign wrote: »

Evidence?

PM

Locust

BX 19 wrote: »

How on earth did he make it from Lusk to Armagh without being stopped?

M1 Motorway - high speed. Its actually very easy in such a confusing situation.

ZoneAlarm wrote: »

should have been cuffed at the back, back of the hand to back of hand, that way they cannot even put there feet thru there arms.

Its the arresting members call, i would cuff almost everyone - we don't know if this guy was or wasn't. I can slip cuffs from behind the back to front hands back to back, its just a matter of how flexible you are. Driving cuffed to the front is also possible. This guy, like all drink drivers was obviously just desperate to get home!

Trackers are a good idea (in the ideal world) a bit dear, along with cages, remote shut off, air support above you in less than 5 minutes and neighboring divisions having cars free from calls, stinger trained members ready etc... - But at the end of the day, I think good old fashioned policing skills - like keep your eye on the prisoner, stay on your toes and don't assume anything (murphy's law etc.) are paramount!

stephen1968

i feel sorry for the poor garda bert he will get some stick over this.

POGAN

swiftblade wrote: »

Im not Garda bashing, but sadly you do see that all too often.

I suppose he could have been cuffed on the front. I hope it wasn't one of the decent patrol cars.

05 focus it was

ZoneAlarm

stephen1968 wrote: »

i feel sorry for the poor garda bert he will get some stick over this.

Yep and some paper work to go with it.

luckyfrank

Legend

ZoneAlarm

luckyfrank wrote: »

Legend

Must have been you was it luckyfrank !!

Jimmy Garlic

EPIC WIN.

msg11

Locust wrote: »

Trackers are a good idea (in the ideal world) a bit dear

They have come down alot in price, I am sure you could get a discount on a bulk order. I know Tesco got them installed on there van fleet, as vans where getting hijacked, one simple call to head office and the van would be switched off and a location passed on too the Garda.

I'm looking into getting one for my car, the tracker is good but the remote shut off is even better, if my cars not burnt out I would have a good chance of getting it back.

I also agree, it's the simple things like keeping a close eye on the situation. If this guy is caught I wonder what ridiculous sentence he will get 3 years community service and a year driving ban. I say he will get off the drink driving as there wouldn't be any evidence.

stephen1968

the law is a joke here compared with the uk and other countrys,i returned home after living in the uk and the canary islands.
since i have been back i have never been stopped in the two years i have been driving.
i very rarely see a garda where are they all????

Jimmy Garlic

stephen1968 wrote: »

since i have been back i have never been stopped in the two years i have been driving.

What are you complaining about?. Do you actually want to be stopped?.
IMO the less I see of the Guards the better.

PepePareja

stephen1968 wrote: »

the law is a joke here compared with the uk and other countrys,i returned home after living in the uk and the canary islands.
since i have been back i have never been stopped in the two years i have been driving.
i very rarely see a garda where are they all????

Running up the M1, chasing their cars apparently.:)

ZoneAlarm

I think in fairness the uk is a much much bigger country compared to litty bitty Ireland, and the resources they have far exceed what the irish Garda get, or have, look at the numbers below compared to ireland.

As of March 2010 police numbers in England and Wales were:[2]

Police officers: 143,734
Police Community Support Officers: 16,918
Other staff: 79,596


As of September 2009, police numbers in Scotland were:[5]

Police officers: 17,278
Special constables: 1,186 (as at March 2005)
Other staff: 7,207 (as at March 2005)

And im sure them numbers has increased since 2005 !

stephen1968

ok the uk is a bigger place and i am not complaining just not used to it sorry guys

ZoneAlarm

Be on your guard now, you might get stopped someday when ya dont want to be, dont wish for things you dont need or want, they always come true.

stephen1968

thanks for that,been wishing to find work since i was laid off

Zambia

Insert bad person in rear, allow to cool.

ZoneAlarm

And turn on the air condition to minus 30 hahah

stephen1968

ah very good lads......