Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Shocked how the guards didn't care about stolen wallet?

Options
24

Comments

  • Options
    #32
    FTA69
    Registered Users Posts: 9,252 ✭✭✭FTA69


    My flat was burgled in London and I rang the cops expecting the usual "there's nothing we can do" stuff, I only rang them because I wanted a crime number for the insurance. To my surprise they actually dusted the gaff for prints, took swabs and ended up catching the woman she did it and she got six months for a string of house break ins.

    Genuinely shocked I was.


  • Options
    #33
    Sardine
    Site Banned Posts: 210 ✭✭Sardine


    I eventually lose every wallet I have, I must have lost at least 10
    over the years. The police have better things to be doing. Just cancel your cards and get on with your life.


  • Options
    #34
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users Posts: 12,235 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    Roger Hassenforder wrote: »
    Are we shocked?


    My car was broken into in Waterford a few years ago. Rang the cops expecting a forensic team to arrive. Full tent over the car, white suits, dusting for prints, DNA swabs etc.

    What actually happened was the cops rocked up in their car, asked was there much taken, said "thats terrible" and drove off.

    The problem here is that you have watched too much CSi...you should get out more and realise that real life does not mimmick tv :rolleyes:


  • Options
    #35
    Riskymove
    Registered Users Posts: 10,887 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »
    The problem here is that you have watched too much CSi...you should get out more and realise that real life does not mimmick tv :rolleyes:

    funnily enough after I read his comments I was thinking of posting my experience anyway but in relation to your comments I should definitely do so.

    When my car was broken into the local guards arrived and having had a look wanted me to leave the car there so that they could arrange for the forensics, printing etc.

    It was more that I needed the car and the loss wasn't much that I decided not to but they certainly had an interest despite the minor loss.


  • Options
    #36
    PlaneSpeeking
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,106 ✭✭✭PlaneSpeeking


    Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »
    The problem here is that you have watched too much CSi...you should get out more and realise that real life does not mimmick tv :rolleyes:

    Is that true ?

    Balls, I've a plumber coming round tomorrow to clear out my pipes.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #37
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,275 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »
    What if we are, like with health, paying enough taxes but the service is incompetent.

    The loss of wallets, laptops, bikes etc is how a lot of people are affected by crime. If the system isn’t doing anything about it then that’s most people’s experience of the legal system.

    And it’s not that trivial either. A wallet could have a fair amount of money. A bike or laptop could run to the thousands. Preemptive policing could help here.


    What do you think the guards could have done in the OPs case?


  • Options
    #38
    weldoninhio
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,311 ✭✭✭✭weldoninhio


    Policing in this country is a joke. They're more interested in getting to the chipper than to a crime scene.

    Was assaulted a few years ago in a local nightclub. Turned around and a scumbag hit me a sly headbutt, knocked me clean out. There were at least 7 witnesses, two bouncers saw it, it was on CCTV. There was a Garda car outside so the bouncers said I should go over to them straight away to let them know what had happened. Tried to talk to them, the told me to get lost, that they have to be outside the club "in case something happens", I asked them is an assault came under something happening. They told me that if i didn't get away from the car they'd arrest me for a breach of the peace, and as my nose was bleeding, if I bled in the car on the way to the station they'd also charge me with damaging police property. Told me to phone an ambulance if I wanted a record of the incident happening that night and report it to my local station the next day.

    Next day, went to my local station, was told there was absolutely nothing they could do as it happened in a different town. Went to the other towns Garda station, finally got to speak with a Garda, explained what happened, gave him the bouncers names and numbers, the bar managers name and number, explained that there was full CCTV of the incident, gave him the guy who'd headbutted me name and address.

    His response was "Well what did you do?", I said nothing, I was ko'ed. He said, No to provoke it. Basically called me a liar and said he'd look into it. That was about ten years ago, still waiting.

    Saw your man a few weeks later and beat the absolute shyte out of him.


  • Options
    #39
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    lovelife92 wrote: »
    I went down to the guards and told them. I expected an alert would be sent out on my name if anyone was to use it on an ID or something like that. I was told it was probably thrown away at this point and just to order new ID and cards?

    Is that normal? There is literally nothing I can do?
    You need to think about this practically.

    How would this alert work? Would the Gardai send a list of "Today's fake IDs to look out for" to every shop in a 5km radius? That's not really feasible.

    Would they put an alert into their system so that whenever anyone used your card the Gardai would be notified? Practically that would require the payment processors to be on board and monitoring all transactions and sending out alerts on specific cards.

    Which is actually something they might do, but you're also asking them to open that up to authorities, which is a much bigger proposition; not least because it means if a Garda wants to track you, all they have to do is put out an "alert" for when your cards are used.

    Realistically, the odds of catching the guys in the act is tiny and the mechanisms that would be required to do so are either unfeasible or require a huge amount of effort and cost. And even then would still be unlikely to catch them.

    As said upthread, the kind of guys who steal wallets and purses absolutely do not want to be stopped by the Gardai carrying a stolen card. They get stopped and searched five or six times a day. They take the wallet, strip out everything of immediate value and throw it away within minutes of stealing it.

    Go for walk along hedges and alleyways within a five minute radius of where your wallet was taken and it'll probably turn up.


  • Options
    #40
    corks finest
    Registered Users Posts: 8,655 ✭✭✭corks finest


    pebbles21 wrote: »
    Should have sent the Emergercy Responce Unit down straight away .. It's a disgrace Joe !!
    Bloody right,not as if they've a lot on


  • Options
    #41
    Crea
    Registered Users Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭Crea


    A neighbour of mine smashed my windscreen on my car and scattered a pile of nails in my driveway yesterday. Garda response - Get security cameras.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #42
    verycool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 965 ✭✭✭verycool


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8k1d8uX9Gw


  • Options
    #43
    antodeco
    Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 13,449 ✭✭✭✭antodeco


    Wife's car was broken into a few months ago. Reported it to the Gardai. Less than an hour later car was dusted for fingerprints. Sometimes they care sometimes they can't.


  • Options
    #44
    Billy86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,495 ✭✭✭✭Billy86


    Fire brigade instead, but it reminded me of when the girlfriend and I were up the Dublin mountains about two weeks ago and she wanted to take a wander through the forest. We came across about a 20 x 30ft forest fire that hadn't been put out properly and was flaring up flames on it's edges. Tried to keep it under control and call the fire brigade because of how dry and hot the summer has been, and the fact it hadn't rained properly in Dublin in ages at that point. They've been happening all summer - https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0627/973640-forest-fires-dublin-fire-brigade/

    So anyway, two and a half hours of furiously trying to stamp out anything kicking off; nothing. Thankfully herself is from rural northern Ontario where these happen a lot, so she had a good idea of how to keep it at bay, but it was quickly getting worse.

    Called back to let them know it was intensifying and had spread to maybe 60 x 30ft... again an hour later, nothing.

    Luckily, a downpour - the first in a good number of weeks - happened not long after because it was really beginning to look bad at that point. On the plus side, all the steam and hissing that rose up with the rain began to come down was a pretty cool sight.

    You never really know how busy the fire brigade is, but this was late morning-into-afternoon on a Tuesday which I would hardly imagine is peak time for the emergency services. There is at least one station within a 10-15 minute drive from there, yet in four hours (including the half hour of rain we stuck around for) there wasn't a single sign of them.


  • Options
    #45
    Sardine
    Site Banned Posts: 210 ✭✭Sardine


    Crea wrote: »
    A neighbour of mine smashed my windscreen on my car and scattered a pile of nails in my driveway yesterday. Garda response - Get security cameras.

    Sounds like a lovely neightbourhood!


  • Options
    #46
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »
    What if we are, like with health, paying enough taxes but the service is incompetent.

    The loss of wallets, laptops, bikes etc is how a lot of people are affected by crime. If the system isn’t doing anything about it then that’s most people’s experience of the legal system.

    And it’s not that trivial either. A wallet could have a fair amount of money. A bike or laptop could run to the thousands. Preemptive policing could help here.

    Which is very easy to say, but hard to implement effectively.

    What do you think they could do? I'm sure AH would be happy to take a look at your suggestions and take them apart from a realistic angle. :D

    Look after your stuff. Don't use your back pockets. Be aware of the weight in your front pockets should someone slice your jeans with a blade. Don't trust strangers who come near to your body. That's it essentially.


  • Options
    #47
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Crea wrote: »
    A neighbour of mine smashed my windscreen on my car and scattered a pile of nails in my driveway yesterday. Garda response - Get security cameras.

    Your word against his. No witnesses? No Proof of it happening...


  • Options
    #48
    Crea
    Registered Users Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭Crea


    Sardine wrote: »
    Sounds like a lovely neightbourhood!

    It actually is but one scumbag family can ruin it for everyone.


  • Options
    #49
    Crea
    Registered Users Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭Crea


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Your word against his. No witnesses? No Proof of it happening...

    Exactly.


  • Options
    #50
    Steve F
    Registered Users Posts: 1,852 ✭✭✭Steve F


    Avatar MIA wrote: »
    We could conceivably have the Garda numbers to attend for every wallet stolen.

    1. Pay a lot more tax to significantly increase Garda numbers.
    2. Go live on an island where this would be a novelty and the bored Garda would investigate.

    Or realise you've no chance of getting your wallet back even Inspector Morse turned up, and just order new cards, ID. Personally I'd have looked in the local bins, alleys, and reported to the bank. I do think wallets are more valuable now with touch payments, and less likely to be discarded near by.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12i-uCjjuuU


  • Options
    #51
    Berserker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,046 ✭✭✭Berserker


    Roger Hassenforder wrote: »
    Are we shocked?

    My car was broken into in Waterford a few years ago. Rang the cops expecting a forensic team to arrive. Full tent over the car, white suits, dusting for prints, DNA swabs etc.

    What actually happened was the cops rocked up in their car, asked was there much taken, said "thats terrible" and drove off.

    Had a bike stolen a few years ago. Went into the local police station reported it. Guard closed the conversation telling to the give them a shout if I see anyone cycling it.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #52
    yourdeadwright
    Registered Users Posts: 20,628 ✭✭✭✭yourdeadwright


    I once had the four tyres of my car slashed, i'd no idea who done it and still don't had no issues with anyone or anything like that so I guess it was random, anyway I  went to the Garda station to report it,
    I told the Garda at the desk and he replies " what do you want me to do "   To be fair I didn't know :)  I said eh I don't know just thought I should report it, He said ok so and closed the door at the desk on me,


  • Options
    #53
    Tazz T
    Registered Users Posts: 3,201 ✭✭✭Tazz T


    Philipx wrote: »
    You must be really shocked, you started two threads on it....

    I'm sure that's a crime. Call the gards.


  • Options
    #54
    maccored
    Registered Users Posts: 10,664 ✭✭✭✭maccored


    Baron Kurtz wrote: »
    If your post is anything to go by, you were probably the perfect target for theft. On the back of this, I wouldn't worry about identity theft - wouldn't be that noteworthy.

    someone expects the guards to do their jobs and you think this makes the OP inferior in some way?


  • Options
    #55
    nthclare
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,316 ✭✭✭nthclare


    Hi Op I noticed that a lot of knobs here weren't much of a help to you.

    Sorry to hear your wallet was stolen, and it's an invasion of your personal self.

    It shows how society has gone really, lack of empathy and sheep mentality and ignorance.

    I hear you, it's not nice when you've been robbed, hope it doesn't happen again.

    As for the dck head's with shtty comments well that's the sort of people I'd avoid, more than likely jocks who wear bootcut jeans and bog shoes....


  • Options
    #56
    Avatar MIA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭Avatar MIA


    nthclare wrote: »
    Hi Op I noticed that a lot of knobs here weren't much of a help to you.

    Sorry to hear your wallet was stolen, and it's an invasion of your personal self.

    It shows how society has gone really, lack of empathy and sheep mentality and ignorance.

    I hear you, it's not nice when you've been robbed, hope it doesn't happen again.

    As for the dck head's with shtty comments well that's the sort of people I'd avoid, more than likely jocks who wear bootcut jeans and bog shoes....

    So, apart from adding sympathy, which is a given, what help have you been?

    None. None is the answer.

    As for your own inferiority complex, take it to personal issues. You're welcome.


  • Options
    #57
    Kiith
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 23,094 Mod ✭✭✭✭Kiith


    Ghost Train wrote: »
    There was a good big bang theory episode on this topic.

    No there wasn't.


  • Options
    #58
    AllForIt
    Registered Users Posts: 8,317 ✭✭✭AllForIt


    My bike was stolen from the common entrance to my apartment block. I had left in under the stairs. Unfortunately it could be seen from the street as it's glass fronted. Someone pushed in the door without any tools. I usually lock it but that evening I didn't. Reported the theft to the Guards. First time in my life I had to deal with the Guards over a crime perpetrated against myself.

    I was talking to a my neighbour later and he said 'ah the Guards won't give a feck about you bike' and I just casually agreed, resigned to the fact there is only maybe 10% chance of getting my bike recovered.

    A number of weeks passed when I got a phone call from Guards with the news that they got the guy who stole it. I had to give a statement in the station where the Garda in charge of the case explained to me how he got him. He spotted the guy on the town cctv system so had some idea of what he looked like. The guy was seen cycling off in a particular direction where he then fell out of radar. He then had to do some guess work as to where he lived, went to that area and asked around in the locality if anyone knew someone who fitted his description. He eventually found where he lived and he has since been charged with breaking and entering and theft.

    The garda apologised to me because on the day he had a warrant to enter his home but on they day he was called out to a serious fatal car accident and had to reapply for a warrant - in which time the perpetrator had sold on the bike. He actually said to me he felt bad about it and he meant it. I told him not too, it's just the way the cookie crumbled and the fatal road crash kinda put my issue into perspective.

    I actually felt bad for agreeing with my neighbour that 'the feckin guards' wouldn't care less about my bike. He clearly did. The other thing I realised is that catching ppl even when on CCTV is not as easy as one might think. The thief wasn't know to the Guards so tracking him down took some effort. Anyway my experience made me check my attitude to the guards and also it's always worth reporting incidents even if one thinks doing so is a waste of time.


  • Options
    #59
    Avatar MIA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭Avatar MIA


    AllForIt wrote: »


    I actually felt bad for agreeing with my neighbour that 'the feckin guards' wouldn't care less about my bike. He clearly did. The other thing I realised is that catching ppl even when on CCTV is not as easy as one might think. The thief wasn't know to the Guards so tracking him down took some effort. Anyway my experience made me check my attitude to the guards and also it's always worth reporting incidents even if one thinks doing so is a waste of time.

    We need to remember that the Garda are a microcosm of society. The sum total ambition of one Garda may have been satisfied by being accepted into the Gardai to make his mum proud. Others will be excellent. You dealt with the latter. Good to hear these stories, as many of us have more experience of the former.


  • Options
    #60
    sbsquarepants
    Registered Users Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    OP seriously, just do what everyone else does in your situation, cancel the cards and get on with your life.

    They aren't aren't going to assign an out of control loose cannon and a soon to retire old timer to your case with hilarious results - it's a damn wallet - one of dozens stolen that day.

    I bet it didn't even make the 9 o'clock news did it!


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #61
    Avatar MIA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭Avatar MIA


    sbsquarepants wrote: »
    OP seriously, just do what everyone else does in your situation, cancel the cards and get on with your life.

    They aren't aren't going to assign an out of control loose cannon and a soon to retire old timer to your case with hilarious results - it's a damn wallet - one of dozens stolen that day.

    I bet it didn't even make the 9 o'clock news did it!

    Lethal Wallet?

    "Your diplomatic immunity just got Stolen!" BLAAM.

    Who wouldn't watch that movie?


Advertisement