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Gardai have warned farmers not to engage at all with potentially bogus callers offering farm services such as powerwashing and painting.
“This is peak season for lads to call in offering to paint sheds or fix gutters,” warned Tipperary crime prevention officer Sergeant Tom O’Dwyer.
Listen to "Garda rural crime prevention officer Sgt Tom O'Dwyer" on Spreaker.
“If someone pulls in that you don’t know, don’t entertain them at all, don’t deal with them.”
He advised farmers to move on bogus callers as quickly as possible, but also to note the vehicle registration and call it in to the local Garda station.
“We can look it up and, if necessary, send out a text to alert other people in the locality that these people are around.”
Sergeant O’Dwyer was speaking at a Community Alert meeting in Newcastle, Co Tipperary, on Friday, where he said farmers were “eyes and ears on the ground” for communities and the gardaí.
“Farmers driving tractors, drawing silage, [if] they see something odd and unusual, report it so we can send out an alert to others,” he said.
Sergeant O’Dwyer also warned people, particularly elderly people living alone, not to open the door to people they did not recognise.
Nominated Neighbour
Newcastle Community Alert and TASK Community Care was launching a new Nominated Neighbour scheme.
Under the scheme, anyone vulnerable is given a card with the text “I do not recognise you! Please speak to my Nominated Neighbour. They will check your identity and return with you.”
The card can be shown to unrecognised callers through the window and prevents any communication between a vulnerable person and a potentially bogus caller.
James O’Neill, who runs the property marking service Operation ID, said some older people were bombarded with bogus callers.
“If you engage verbally, you’ve nearly lost the battle already,” he warned.
“This Nominated Neighbour scheme gives peace of mind to the older person and also informs would-be callers that neighbourly measures are in operation in the area.”
Peter Butler of TASK Community Care warned that bogus callers often asked “Can I get my dog?” and “Can I check your water supply?” to gain entry.
His company offers a telecoms system with a silent bogus caller button connected to a 24-hour monitoring centre, so that staff can listen in on a conversation and take action if necessary.
Map: rural crime sees demand for Garda text alert scheme double
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