Be on alert for van traveling around looking for scrap metal

evoke

Hey Guys,
Today I was sitting at the computer when a van pulls in to the drive way. i stuck my head to see who it was. i see 2 young lads in a Peugeot white van. I was waiting for them to come to the door so i would greet them. they did not come up to the door but when i looked out again they saw me again and signaled me to come out.

When i went out side they asked me was the van for sale. (it was my dads van and he was at a funeral). i said no to their question. then they asked me if there was any scrap metal for sale and i said there was not. I was very suspicious of them so they said thanks and left.

There was a Van and a car in the driveway so i can not understand why they would enter the premises. They must of thought people where in the house with the 2 vehicles. they might of been checking out the house to rob it in the future. i am worried they might come around again when no one is around.

Did any one else have this experience?

Be alert around christmas for this.

teepee

evoke wrote: »

Hey Guys,
Today I was sitting at the computer when a van pulls in to the drive way. i stuck my head to see who it was. i see 2 young lads in a Peugeot white van. I was waiting for them to come to the door so i would greet them. they did not come up to the door but when i looked out again they saw me again and signaled me to come out.

When i went out side they asked me was the van for sale. (it was my dads van and he was at a funeral). i said no to their question. then they asked me if there was any scrap metal for sale and i said there was not. I was very suspicious of them so they said thanks and left.

There was a Van and a car in the driveway so i can not understand why they would enter the premises. They must of thought people where in the house with the 2 vehicles. they might of been checking out the house to rob it in the future. i am worried they might come around again when no one is around.

Did any one else have this experience?

Be alert around christmas for this.

Ya ,

I work on a building site in Galway and they drive into the site and jump into the skip and pull all the scrap metal out of it . They also checking the place out . There at it every day and if you were waiting for a knock on the door youll be waiting . There as bold as brass . The only job for them is Nally security !

biko

teepee wrote: »

The only job for them is Nally security !

I was hoping the thread wouldn't go down this route but it did.
Banned.

Thread left open because it may be a good idea to warn people that these things happen but keep on a very civil tone folks, and keep it on topic.
Thanks

evoke

just to note that this happened in the Bearna/Furbo area.

stop animal cruelty

This is happening alot down in kerry, mostly looking for cooper.

About 3 years ago a friend of mine was going to school at 8.30am (lives in the middle of nowhere out the country). Just as they pulled off, a big van drove up the drive way, before the eletric gates closed. Her dad was there at the time thankfully. They were asking for the same stuff, any metal or copper, drills etc etc for sale.

Strange thing is, they were waiting for my friend and her mom to leave at 8.30am, they were waiting up the road watching them :O

My advice is to lock up everything, dont leave things in sight. And report anything suspicious going on. These k******* are all over the place.

inisboffin

Vigilance is good, and watching out for neighbours, but amazingly enough, there are also people (not just travellers, but often so) going door to door looking for cheap scrap metal. Nothing more sinister. Just like it says on the tin, if you will forgive the pun.

flynnlives

the excuse is always that they are looking to buy scrap when they notice someone is at home.

I note you said your father was at a funeral. Ive heard stories of people houses been robbed when funerals are on ie. they persume everyone is down the church.

report this incident to the Gardai, hopefully you got the reg.

mikemac1

evoke wrote: »

When i went out side they asked me was the van for sale. (it was my dads van and he was at a funeral).

Funeral is the key part of your post

They were checking if the place was empty

Report it to the local station and encourage others to do the same

nuac

These callers are a pest.

They will, is sussed profess to be interested in buying something. they are checking for something to "borrow".

If found at the back of your house they will say they were looking for their "little doggeen" that ran in there.

Take numbers and report to Gardai

Sponge Bob

The place is rotten with them, most are OK though. The simple fact is that a 15 year old car that YOU had to pay €100 to scrap in 2006 is now worth €100 cash, collected at your front door for its scrap value.

Doctor_Socks

Best to take down details of the car they were driving in case it does turn out to be a group scouting the area. Never hurts to be vigilante, also try to keep an eye out for people looking at neighbours houses. I know this may sound like paranoia or being over-cautious but I got robbed 2 years ago and lost a laptop and tv, the burglar got caught mainly because I was able to describe the occupant of a van that was driving around the estate I had been living in and had the details of the van taken down. He had been driving around slowly looking in the windows of houses in the area and if noticed would turn around and leave the estate, was an estate that contains a lot of students who go home at the weekends so was an easy target.

Ring the gardai in your area and report the details of the lads who called, at least then they have a record of it. Not sure if this is what happens in the Gardai but if enough people report the vehicle they might look into it, wouldn't be much they could do but might let any potential thieves know that the guards are present in the area.

evoke

i actually rang the gardas 10 minutes later. I did not think of taking down their registration since i was a bit shocked about it. I will think about it next time. First time it ever happened.

I just described the small van to the garda. They said it could of been genuinely looking for scrap but also up to know good. They know now know some has been around the area so they might look out for the van.

This is warn other people. Take the registration and description of the van and report to the gardas. Sinister or not at least the gardas know they some has been around the area and if they are around they can look out for it in the area.

Better to report it than be sorry.

I would warn everyone to not leave any thing in the garden and lock everything.

fearruanua

stop animal cruelty wrote: »

This is happening alot down in kerry, mostly looking for cooper.

Poor ould Gooch!!! Where would they sell him. we'll take him here in Galway if the price is right. :D

Sorry couldn't resist!!

Bartyman

evoke wrote: »

I just described the small van to the garda. They said it could of been genuinely looking for scrap but also up to know good. They know now know some has been around the area so they might look out for the van.

.

Use the camera on the phone if possible, if they're "honest", they won't mind you taking their photo !!

BroLo

fearruanua wrote: »

Poor ould Gooch!!! Where would they sell him. we'll take him here in Galway if the price is right. :D

Sorry couldn't resist!!

I was about to go down the same line :P

These things do happen though, copper is the main target, worked in a factory before and it was constantly robbed of copper left out.

@Bartyman, I wouldn't let some stranger take my photo, no matter what the circumstances were.

Bartyman

BroLo wrote: »

@Bartyman, I wouldn't let some stranger take my photo, no matter what the circumstances were.

Me neither.

But when them boys are leaving, they ain't smiling for the birdie, too busy scoping out what can be lifted and sold quickly.

No need to ask them to pose, a quick snap of the car / van will suffice, capturing relevant details.

Lissavane

The mo of these guys and girls is to use the excuse of wanting to buy an old car or any other scrap they might see from the road, to enter the property. Sometimes it's a couple of guys in a van, sometimes it's a husband and wife, often driven by the woman who stays in the car. If you live anywhere near Knock or, indeed, on a route leading to it, they are likely to say they were just travelling to / from Mass and spotted the car, junk etc..

If there's anyone home, they'll give the spiel about buying scrap. If noone's home, they'll check out the property for alarms, security of locks, look in all windows to ascertain contents and layout of house, assess out-buildings / sheds and check possible escape routes if caught in action.

They'll usually call to the house several times, making repeated requests to buy that old car or asking to buy other scrap. Eventually they will either burgle the house themselves, when vacant, or, if they find the premises usually occupied, will pass on details to "colleagues"* (often young women) who live in the area and are in a better position to monitor the movements of the occupants and pick an opportune time to burgle. In the latter case they do, of course, get a cut of the proceeds.

I don't want to scare people but if these people call once, there's a good chance they'll persevere if they spot any weakness in defences.

*usually relatives

inisboffin

Lissavane wrote: »

The mo of these guys and girls is to use the excuse of wanting to buy an old car or any other scrap they might see from the road, to enter the property. Sometimes it's a couple of guys in a van, sometimes it's a husband and wife, often driven by the woman who stays in the car. If you live anywhere near Knock or, indeed, on a route leading to it, they are likely to say they were just travelling to / from Mass and spotted the car, junk etc..

If there's anyone home, they'll give the spiel about buying scrap. If noone's home, they'll check out the property for alarms, security of locks, look in all windows to ascertain contents and layout of house, assess out-buildings / sheds and check possible escape routes if caught in action.

They'll usually call to the house several times, making repeated requests to buy that old car or asking to buy other scrap. Eventually they will either burgle the house themselves, when vacant, or, if they find the premises usually occupied, will pass on details to "colleagues"* (often young women) who live in the area and are in a better position to monitor the movements of the occupants and pick an opportune time to burgle. In the latter case they do, of course, get a cut of the proceeds.

I don't want to scare people but if these people call once, there's a good chance they'll persevere if they spot any weakness in defences.

*usually relatives

That's quite an indepth knowledge of a very specific scenario. Inside information (I mean Gardaí of course )?
From your description it sounds like you have first hand info of this happening several times?

Mrs OBumble

BroLo wrote: »

@Bartyman, I wouldn't let some stranger take my photo, no matter what the circumstances were.

Sure I hope you don't ever walk down a street in a city centre .... hidden cctv taking pics all over the place.

Lissavane

inisboffin wrote: »

That's quite an indepth knowledge of a very specific scenario. Inside information (I mean Gardaí of course )?
From your description it sounds like you have first hand info of this happening several times?

Did I give good advice or bad advice?

inisboffin

Lissavane wrote: »

Did I give good advice or bad advice?

That's why I was checking the credibility of the source, so I can determine that!

Lissavane

inisboffin wrote: »

That's why I was checking the credibility of the source, so I can determine that!

Who are you to determine anything? Are you a pagan god?

I gave advice, which I repeat below. If you disagree, say so and state on what basis you disagree.

"The mo of these guys and girls is to use the excuse of wanting to buy an old car or any other scrap they might see from the road, to enter the property. Sometimes it's a couple of guys in a van, sometimes it's a husband and wife, often driven by the woman who stays in the car. If you live anywhere near Knock or, indeed, on a route leading to it, they are likely to say they were just travelling to / from Mass and spotted the car, junk etc..

If there's anyone home, they'll give the spiel about buying scrap. If noone's home, they'll check out the property for alarms, security of locks, look in all windows to ascertain contents and layout of house, assess out-buildings / sheds and check possible escape routes if caught in action.

They'll usually call to the house several times, making repeated requests to buy that old car or asking to buy other scrap. Eventually they will either burgle the house themselves, when vacant, or, if they find the premises usually occupied, will pass on details to "colleagues"* (often young women) who live in the area and are in a better position to monitor the movements of the occupants and pick an opportune time to burgle. In the latter case they do, of course, get a cut of the proceeds.

I don't want to scare people but if these people call once, there's a good chance they'll persevere if they spot any weakness in defences.

*usually relatives"

cypressg

jaysus relax boss

inisboffin

Lissavane wrote: »

Who are you to determine anything? Are you a pagan god?

Thank you for helping me to determine credibility.

TPD

If this were to happen again I'd advise informing them that your property is covered by CCTV and they've been recorded. I can't imagine them coming back in a hurry.