Elderly Being Targeted By 'Non-National Travelling Criminals'

Gardaí are investigating an incident in which an elderly woman was robbed in Fermoy, Co Cork.

According to reports, the 95-year-old woman was sitting alone in a car in a Supervalu car park – it is understood that her son was shopping in the store while she waited in the car – when she was approached by a "non-national woman" who asked for charge for a trolley. When the elderly woman rolled down the window the "non-national woman" reached in and grabbed money from the the woman's purse.

The "non-national woman" then fled the scene in a left-hand drive silver-grey Volkswagen golf.

Gardaí have said that they have seen this crime before, in this same car park.

Speaking to Patricia Messinger on C103's Cork Today Show, Sergeant John Kelly of Fermoy Garda Station said that "non-national travelling criminals" are believed to be travelling down from the Dublin area and target car parks.

He said: "Friday and Saturday seem to be good times because maybe somebody is collecting their pension and the son or daughter is in doing the shopping and they leave their mother or father sitting in the passenger seat of the car."

He said the groups are specifically targeting older people and vulnerable people.

Sergeant Kelly advised: "If you are in that situation, and you are approached, and you're sitting, waiting for your son or daughter, just pretend you don't understand. Keep the window up, lock the car. But don't engage."

(MH/CM)