Burglars defraud elderly residents

Two elderly people were defrauded of €800 on Friday in separate but similar burglaries. In both cases, the people concerned were distracted by callers to their front doors, while intruders gained entry through different means.

The burglaries happened at Rathowen and Multyfarnham, and in both cases, the victims realised quickly that they had been burgled, and notified An Garda Síochána.

“We would just encourage people to be extra mindful if someone presents at their house,” a garda spokesperson told the Westmeath Examiner.

This was especially the case where people were “elderly, or in the house on their own,” he said. The technique is one that burglars have used for years, and gardaí suggesting that families explain to vulnerable people how the scenario tends to play out.