Alliance Newcastle area Councillor Patrick Clarke is urging people not to leave valuables in their vehicles when they are visiting isolated or beauty spots.
Councillor Clarke made the appeal following the theft of two handbags from a black Toyota Landcruiser which was parked at Keel Point car park in Dundrum and said: “I would like to directly appeal to drivers and passengers when visiting any rural, isolated or beauty spots in their vehicle to ensure that any valuables such as handbags, mobiles phones, wallets, cash or jewellery, etc, are safely removed from public view when leaving their vehicle.”
“It only takes a matter of seconds for an opportunist thief to enter a vehicle to steal any valuables which are on display and quite often thieves will target isolated or beauty spots particularly in rural areas.”
“On a number of occasions thieves have targeted vehicles parked at Kilmegan Church on the Kilmegan Road in Dundrum whilst people were visiting graves due to valuables being on display in their vehicles,”
“Only recently another vehicle was targeted at the scenic car park at Keel Point in Dundrum where two handbags were stolen and subsequently one of the empty handbags was later found along the Moneycarragh Road.”
“I would urge members of the public to be vigilant with valuables in their vehicles particular during the summer months when many people are out enjoying the various beauty spots.”
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