Shopkeepers warned about foreign national ‘opportunists’

Shopkeepers warned about foreign national ‘opportunists’


Anton McNulty and Edwin McGreal

THE Garda chief in Mayo has advised small shopkeepers to regulate how many people come into their premises at any one time after a Foxford shop was targeted and robbed by a foreign gang.
Chief Superintendent Tony McNamara was speaking yesterday (Monday) at the Mayo Joint Policing Committee meeting in Castlebar where he described the series of robberies involving foreign nationals going into small shops in large numbers and distracting the staff before stealing money and items as a big problem.
It follows from an incident last Sunday where a group of seven women and one male, believed to be of Romanian origin, entered Atlantic Antiques in Foxford and left with a four figure sum.
The issue was raised at the meeting by Cllr Joe Mellett who described himself as a victim of these crimes and said that ordinary shopkeepers were ignorant of how to manage large numbers of people coming into their businesses.
Cllr Mellett asked the Garda chief if there would be any problem in stopping large numbers entering their shop. Chief Supt McNamara replied that while the shopkeeper always had to be careful of the equality issue he felt if the numbers entering the shop at one time was regulated, he did not believe there would be a problem.
“The modus operandi of these people is to enter a shop in large numbers and distract the people on the tills.
“They take over the shop and small businesses can’t employ ten people to assist them or have security.
“I would recommend that people manage the numbers coming in and only allow them to come in two’s or whatever you can manage.
“There is no doubt that it is a big problem,” he said.
The Foxford robbery is the fourth incident in the last six months believed to have been perpetrated by Romanian gangs.
Previous incidents occurred in Bangor Erris, Knockmore and Westport and the latest incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at Atlantic Antiques in Foxford on Sunday afternoon.
The shop was being looked after by a single female and a spokesperson for Swinford Gardaí told The Mayo News of the modus operandi of these type of ‘Dublin based opportunists’.
“What they do is they examine shops and if the number of staff there is adequate they leave but if they come upon a place that is vulnerable they will take advantage.
“In this instance there was only one member of staff,  female, and she couldn’t cope with the sheer number of them.
“The shopkeeper is overrun and a group of them ask loads of questions and might ask for water, pretending one of them is sick while two of them sneak into the private area of the store and go looking for money. They are gone quickly. When they two people return from the private area they give a signal and they all leave quickly.
They were less than five minutes in this shop.”
Gardaí are also appealing to business people in the Mayo, Sligo or Galway areas who had a visit from a similar group over the weekend and may have CCTV footage to contact them in Swinford on 094-9252900.
MEANWHILE, Gardaí in Swinford are also looking for assistance in connection with the theft of cash and personal belongings of a value of close to €3,000 from a car at Craggagh Graveyard in Foxford over the weekend.
The car was a rental car hired by a family visiting Ireland from America for a family memorial reunion at the graveyard and while they were in the graveyard, the rear-left window was smashed and a quantity of cash, iPhones and other personal belongings were stolen.
A spokesperson for Swinford Gardaí highlighted the importance of not leaving valuables in cars.
“It was a brazen attack. The unfortunate reality is that if stuff is left showing in cars, there are people out there who will break into the cars.
“To be fair to the lady in question she had her bag on her shoulder and was going bringing it with her because she knew not to leave it in the car. Then she had to help an elderly relative and, in doing so, left the bag in the back of the car, and their holiday was ruined.”