Upsurge in rural crime the focus of UTV documentary 'Ireland’s Rural Crimewave'
The programme, Insight: Ireland’s Rural Crimewave features interviews with gardaí and victims of rural crime, some of whom say they now keep shotguns in their homes as a means of protection from intruders.
The programme’s makers say they hope the documentary will draw attention to an “increasing epidemic spreading throughout isolated parts of rural Ireland”.
Gerry Garvey from Pallasgreen, Co Limerick, tells how he and his family were subject to a home invasion.
Gerry says: “We were faced with a couple of intruders bursting in through the door, masked, one with a sawn off shot-gun.
"My daughter was tied up, I was put face down on the ground, handcuffed behind my back and a sawn off shotgun shoved into my temple.
"My son got a belt into the jaw. That’s not something he forgets too easily.”
Tipperary Garda and GRA representative, Tom Finnan, adds: “Old people, people living alone, are vulnerable in their homes due to lack of Garda resources.
"Station closures shouldn’t have been happening when they did happen.”
