Crimecall Episodes

1. Fraud/Deception Investigation, Ashbourne Co Meath

The Gardaí at Ashbourne are investigating multiple incidents of fraud/deception incidents of which two were captured on CCTV:

• Wednesday 29th May 2024, shortly before 4:40pm.
• Friday 31st May 2024, just after 2:40pm.

On both dates there was over €1,000 taken in fuel.

Suspect Description:

• Male
• Age late 20’s-30’s
• Slim build

Clothing

• Green jacket
• Black skinny jeans

2. Theft from shop Investigation, Adamstown, Co Dublin

The Gardaí at Lucan are investigating a theft from shop incident that occurred on Sunday 1st December 2024, at 4:40pm. Two female suspects entered the shop, they could be seen filling up their trolleys and scanning as they go, when they reached the pay point the two women made no effort to pay and left the shop through the front door.

Suspect Description:

Suspect 1

• Female
• Average height
• Black hair tied up

Clothing

• White jacket
• Black top
• Black leggings
• Black runners with white sole

Suspect 2

• Female
• Blonde/brown hair
• Glasses

Clothing

• Black jacket
• T-shirt with design on chest
• Black bottoms

3. Deception Investigation, Dublin Road, Dundalk Co. Louth

The Gardaí at Dundalk are investigating a Deception incident which occurred on Sunday 26th February 2023, at approximately 6.00pm. A male suspect took the car on a test drive and agreed a price to be paid. He showed the victim a process for the agreed price.  The suspect left with the car, but no payment went through. (Value of car - €21,800).

Suspect Description:

• Male
• Approx. 50’s
• Average build
• Wore Glasses

4. Theft (Drive off) Investigation, Ennis Road Co. Limerick

The Gardaí at Mayorstone are investigating a drive off incident that occurred on Thursday 27th February 2025, shortly at 6:15pm. The car was seen approaching a pump, a male suspect got out of the back seat and filled the car. The car then left without attempting to pay.

Suspect Description:

• Male
• Short in height
• slim build

Clothing

• Jacket with hood up
• Dark tracksuit bottoms,
• Dark runners

5. Burglary Investigation, Swords Co. Dublin

The Gardaí at Swords are investigating a burglary incident on Sunday 25th May 2024, at 12:40pm. A male climbed over a wall into a back garden. He proceeded to break the glass of the back door. The suspect then broke a second glass door in the house before leaving through the front.

Suspect Description:

• Male
• Age 30’s – mid 40’s
• Height 5’8 - 5’9
• Stubble

Clothing

• Blue/grey cap
• Two tone navy/sky blue hooded top with a white symbol on left of the chest
• Navy blue tracksuit bottoms with white symbol on the right upper leg
• White Nike runners

6. Theft/Fraud Investigation, Ashbourne Co Meath

The Gardaí at Ashbourne are investigating a theft/fraud incident on Sunday 6th October 2024, at 1:00pm. A male suspect was seen watching a women enter her bank card pin. He later took the card off the women and could be seen using the card and it’s pin at a different shop.

Suspect Description:

• Male
• Height approx. 5’10
• Facial hair/beard

Clothing

• Black jacket
• Denim jeans
• White runners

7. Criminal Damage Investigation, Ballyhaunis Co Mayo

The Gardaí at Swinford are investigating multiple criminal damage incidents that occurred at the same property on the following dates

• Friday 4th August 2023, at 10:00pm
• Friday 24th November 2023, shortly before 5:30pm
• Friday 2nd August 2024, shortly before 11:30pm

Extensive damage was caused on each occasion.

Suspect Description:

• Male
• Height Approx. 6’0
• Strong build

Clothing

• Jacket with hood up
• Face covering
• Black gloves
• Tracksuit bottoms
• Dark runners

8. Theft (Drive off) Investigation, Gort Co Galway & Kells Co. Meath

The Gardaí at Gort and Kells are investigating two drive off incidents which occurred on the following dates

• Sunday 15th September 2024, shortly after 9:05pm.
• Monday30th September 2024, shortly before 2:30pm.

The male suspect could be seen on both occasions filling up his car and leaving with no intention of paying. In the second incident the suspect went into the shop and took items and left without paying.

Suspect description:

• Male
• Age approx. early 30’s
• Height 5’11
• Slim build

Clothing

Incident 1

• Red/whitish checked shirt
• Sandy coloured pants
• Black shoes

Incident 2

• Blue Adidas t-shirt
• Blue jeans
• Dark coloured shoes

9. Criminal Damage Investigation, Wexford Street, Dublin 2

The Gardaí at Pearse Street are investigating a criminal damage incident that occurred on Sunday 14th January 2024, shortly before 9:30pm. A suspect approached a car and began pouring a drink over the car and proceeded to pull the wing mirror off the car.

Suspect Description:

• Male

Clothing

• Brown jacket
• Blue jeans
• Back pack

10. Theft from shop Investigation, Co. Kilkenny

The Gardaí at Kilkenny are investigating a theft from shop incident that occurred on Friday 16th August 2024, at 11:15am. A male entered the shop and tried on a pair of running shoes, he then proceeded to take the shoes and place them under his arm and walked out of the shop without paying.

Suspect Description:

• Male
• Bald head

Clothing

• Shirt
• Jeans
• Laptop bag

11. Theft (charity box) Investigation, Ashbourne Co Meath

The Gardaí at Ashbourne are investigating a theft incident on Sunday 27th December 2024, shortly before 8:40pm. A male suspect entered the shop, when the member of staff was busy serving customers the suspect was seen taking the money box from the till leaving in a red Citroen registration no: 08-CN-2464

Suspect Description:

• Male
• Age late 20’s
• Large build
• Beard

Clothing

• Black jacket with white stripes
• Adidas t-shirt
• Grey BMW beanie hat
• Distinctive black and white shorts

12. Burglary Investigation, North Circular Road, Dublin 7

The Gardaí at Bridewell are investigating a burglary incident that occurred on Saturday 9th October 2024, shortly after 1:30pm. A male suspect entered a home and went into a room. The man took a laptop from the room and was then seen leaving out the front door.

Suspect Description:

• Male
• Height approx. 6’0
• Strong build
• Black hair

Clothing

• Black jacket
• Blue jeans

On this month’s Crimecall, Sergeant John Fitzpatrick was in studio and provided Crime Prevention information in relation to Phone Theft and Security.

The theft of a mobile phone can impact on a person’s life on many levels. Firstly, it’s an expensive piece of technology which can be costly to replace. It also serves, not only as a phone and our main point of contact, but very often the key to a lot of personal data that we use every day – banking, bills, sentimental photos, school and college information, and even the weather.

Statistics:

During 2024, over 5,850 mobile phones were reported as stolen with an approximate reported value of over €3.33million*

So far this year, over 1,100 phones were reported as stolen with an approximate reported value of over €770,000*

The average value of a reported stolen phone has increased year on year.  So far this year, the average value is over €650*

A high proportion of mobile phone thefts from the person incidents can be linked to night time socialising, with Saturday and Sunday appearing to be the days with the highest level of activity, with the hours of midnight to 3am and 4pm to 7pm being the most common times. Nearly 20% of all theft from person incidents took place between 4pm on Saturday and 4am on Sunday - (11% taking place between 11pm on Saturday and 3am on Sunday). In 2024, nearly 75% of mobile phones reported stolen were in the Dublin Region, with a similar figure being recorded for 2023.

A high percentage of mobile phones are also taken during theft from vehicle incidents.  These incidents occur mostly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This crime type is mostly opportunistic with peak hours being between 2pm - 4pm and 7pm - 9pm.

Some basic tips to keep your phone safe:

• Register your mobile phone with your Service Provider.
• Take a careful note of your unique 15 digit mobile phone IMEI number.
• The IMEI number will be on the original box or located on the back of your phone underneath the battery, or you can locate it by dialling *#06# on your keypad, screenshot the series of barcodes and email it to yourself).
• Enable the PIN Security feature and or biometrics option and keep your phone locked when not in use.
• When out and about, keep your mobile phone out of public view, be streetwise and always be aware of your surroundings.
• Property mark your phone with unique personal letters or numbers.
• Avoid making calls or texting on your phone while crossing the road.
• If making or receiving a mobile phone call in public, always do so with full awareness of your surroundings so that you can reduce the opportunity for the phone to be stolen.
• If you a have a smart phone, consider downloading a location finder App.
• Consider disabling airplane mode in the quick settings menu (swipe down) or control centre.
• Your smartphone may be vulnerable to cyber threats, consider downloading an official mobile security app to protect against potential viruses and other malware.
• If your mobile phone is lost or stolen, immediately report it to An Garda Síochána and contact your Service Provider in order to have your IMEI number blocked, so that it can’t be used.
• Never leave your mobile phone behind in an unattended vehicle.

Theft from Mechanically Propelled Vehicles (M.P.V.) is one of the most prevalent incident types relating to mobile phone theft. Never leave valuable items in your vehicle. In order to mitigate against the risk of theft from your vehicle always lock and double check the security of the doors and windows. You should remove all valuable items from your vehicle. However, if you must store valuable items in the vehicle consideration should be given to enhancing the locking systems and installing a GPS tracker. Park under streetlights or in a secure carpark and park where there is CCTV, when possible.

QR Codes:

Reports have been received recently regarding QR code scams occurring, particularly at parking locations. An Garda Síochána would ask the public to be cautious when scanning publicly placed QR Codes that divert you to a website for payment.

Below are some advices from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) for you to consider when scanning QR Codes:

• Has the QR Code been tampered with? Is the QR Code tamper proof, such as behind a glass panel or on a digital display? Is it a sticker? Is there a sticker placed over the original?
• Use a trusted QR Code scanning app that can warn or block against suspicious links.
• Look at the preview in your QR code scanner or browser. Does it match the official website?
• Fraudsters will often pressure you into acting quickly, like as asking for payment to avoid a fine or avoid service disruption.
• Manually enter URLs instead of scanning QR Codes leading to payment sites, use a secure connection.

Further information can be found here on the NCSC website.

Mobile Phone Banking Apps Security:

• Make sure you use two factor authentication on your banking apps, this will reduce the chance that even if the phone is stolen while in active mode there will be a further security layer, hopefully preventing the criminals from accessing your funds. This usually takes the form of a personal question or a biometric print from your finger.
• Always avail of the updates for the apps in settings as these often improve the security features and may further protect your data.
• Never use public wifi for banking, either use your own service provider or wait until you can use a secure wifi network.
• Consider a physical record of your passwords so that you can still access your apps and data if your phone is stolen or lost. But this record should be securely stored.

The Gardaí at Cabinteely are conducting a burglary investigation that occurred on 15/11/2024 at Johnstown Road Cabinteely Co Dublin between 5.30 – 5.55pm (approx.).  The victim who was alone in her apartment entered the kitchen and was confronted by a lone male suspect.

The suspect grabbed the victim by both wrists and pushed her into the hallway, she was then grabbed by the hair and an attempt was made to push her into a bedroom, whilst demanding money.

The male then brought the victim to her own bedroom where he put his arm over her nose and mouth and continued to demand money, which the victim gave him. Before leaving the suspect moved the victim to a separate bedroom.

Property taken Cash to the value of €1,000

Description of suspect:

•  Male
• White, Probably Irish
• Approx. 55 years
• Wearing hat
• Face: Square shape, old skin, not loose, wrinkles on cheeks.
• Eyes: Bright blue, side apart, pointed corners.
• Wide mouth.

The Gardaí at Dun Laoghaire are investigating the disappearance of Philip Massey, 53 years of age, originally from Ballybrack, Co.Dublin

Philip has been missing since St.  Patrick’s night   Monday the 17th of March, 2025. He was captured on CCTV shortly after 7pm walking on his own on Georges Street Upper, Dun Laoghaire. He then turned left onto Patrick’s Street, left again onto Cantwell Lane, after which he turned right onto Northumberland Avenue.  His movements after this point are currently unknown.   

Philip was well known in the community both in Ballybrack and Dun Laoghaire. He suffers from epilepsy and had discharged himself from St.  Vincent’s Hospital earlier on in the day prior to returning to Dun Laoghaire. Philip has not been seen in over (5) weeks and his family are very concerned for his wellbeing and whereabouts.    

Description of Philip:

• Height - 5 feet 7 inches
• Slim build
• Grey hair
• Blue eyes

Clothing: 

• Navy jacket
• Blue jeans
• Navy and white runners

Garda Appeal:

• Extensive enquiries, a canvass of the area as well as searches of local haunts has not yielded any information as to the current whereabouts of Philip Massey.
• Have you any information that can assist with the investigation and help find Philip?
• Do you think you may have seen or spoken to Philip since march 17th
• Can you take a look at the photo and description of Philip and report any possible sightings?

On March 31st 2025, an important new law came into effect that affects all drivers in Ireland. When taking out or renewing a motor insurance policy, you will now be required to provide your driving licence number for you and any named drivers on the policy.

This change is being introduced as part of ongoing efforts to improve road safety, reduce insurance fraud, and ensure greater transparency across the motor insurance sector. The licence number you provide will be recorded and stored securely in the Irish Motor Insurance Database – also known as IMID.

The IMID plays a key role in supporting road traffic enforcement and helps us in An Garda Síochána to identify uninsured drivers more quickly and accurately. With this new requirement, it will be easier to match insurance policies to individual drivers, making our roads safer for everyone.

WHAT IS CHANGING?

Previously, it was up to each insurance company or broker to decide how to verify a drivers licence. Some would ask for a copy of the licence. Others would just ask for confirmation that you have a drivers licence via a recorded telephone conversation. As of 31st March, Insurance companies & brokers are now legally obliged to obtain your driver number and upload it to the IMID.

WHAT IS MY DRIVER NUMBER?

Your driver number is a unique number given to you when you first apply for a learner permit and stays with you throughout your driving life. It can be found at section 4d on your licence.

 

WHY IS THIS CHANGE NEEDED?

This measure was included in the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 and is aimed at enhancing road safety.

This information will be added to the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID), which supports An Garda Síochána when policing the roads. This database already provides details of insurance policies in relation to (3) million vehicles in Ireland and the identity of the insured drivers.

IMID is updated daily.

The addition of the Driver Number – tied to each specific driver – provides An Garda Síochána with a more comprehensive insight into any offences a driver may have committed, making it even more difficult for drivers who act illegally on Irish roads to evade detection.

An Garda Síochána have access to this information in real time at the roadside via their mobility devices. Last year, over 18,000 vehicles were seized and drivers prosecuted by An Garda Síochána for driving without insurance since the introduction of the IMID. The addition of driver information will further increase detections of driving offences and help to make our roads safer for law abiding road users.

If your insurance is up for renewal soon, make sure you have your driver’s licence to hand, as you will be asked for your driver number. If you need to apply for a replacement licence, do so in good time by contacting the National Drivers Licence Service at www.NDLS.ie.

On this month’s programme the Crimecall team went on location with Detective Superintendent Michael Cryan from the Garda Economic Crime Bureau and Dr. Nicola Fox Hamilton (Cyberpsychologist).

They both advised the public to beware of romance fraud and criminals who are taking advantage of an increase in the popularity of dating apps among those seeking romance. Dr Fox gave her professional insight in to what’s known as “social engineering”, and how criminals learn as much as they can and building trust with the victim, including using information that the victim has put online about themselves.

Detective Sergeant Niall Smith was on hand in studio and spoke about the complex nature and difficulty associated with these type of investigations. Niall explained that organised crime groups operate throughout the world, and therefore across multiple jurisdictions.

 "It is often the case that a victim’s money is transferred overseas to fund organised criminal activities such as terrorism, human trafficking, people smuggling and even corruption. An Garda Síochána work closely with both Europol and Interpol to disrupt those involved in fraud of this nature as part of our investigations into romance frauds.

Niall explained that crimes of this nature tend to be highly lucrative for these organised crime groups and prove difficult for victims to recover their money. Of the victims that have come forward to An Garda Síochána since 2020, the majority were female and their average financial loss was approximately €30,000. The highest reported loss by a female in Ireland was over €450,000 stolen in 18 transactions, while one male victim had more than €380,000 taken.

Tactics used by Fraudsters:

• Typically, a scam will start on a dating website/app – after a while, the victim is persuaded to move the conversation away from the app and onto a messaging service like WhatsApp.
• Fraudsters often follow a script and their operation can be very professional.
• Fraudsters can also work in ‘normal’ jobs that require good customer service so they know how to ‘talk the talk’.
• Fraudsters often pose as a white, middle-aged male who is divorced or widowed in sad circumstances to elicit sympathy.
• They often pose as having ‘good’ jobs but ones that keep them away for extended periods of time such as engineers on oil rigs or doctors in war zones like Gaza.
• This also explains a time-zone difference that prevents them from talking on the phone with the victim.
• They often use photographs taken from innocent people’s social media to build their own online profile.
• They message the victims for several months, learning as much as they can about them (job, location, hobbies, what type of car or holiday they have etc). They use this information to build a rapport with the victim (pretend they have similar hobbies) while also learning whether the victim has enough money to make it worth their while to target them.
• This is known as ‘social engineering’ – learning as much as they can and building trust with the victim, including using information that the victim has put online e.g. their job, family status, holidays.
• The Fraudsters will sometimes repay the victim for the first instalment of money they receive. This builds trust and the victim is more willing to send larger sums.
• They begin by asking for small amounts of money for legitimate sounding reasons – they need to pay a bill before their payday, they had their credit cards stolen, they are waiting on an inheritance to come through, they need to pay legal fees to have a large sum of money released etc.
• They often promise that they are about to come into a large amount of money e.g. an insurance pay out after an accident or death of a spouse, an inheritance etc. This is designed to reassure the victim.
• Most victims of romance fraud are women although there are men as well (e.g. an 80-year-old Irish man lost €30,000). With male victims, the fraud often moves to Sextortion quicker where the victim is convinced to send intimate images/videos and then are blackmailed to provide money to the scammer. Although it is worth noting that women have been victims too.
• Nowadays, many victims are persuaded to ‘invest’ in Crypto currencies. They will encourage their victim to invest on the basis that they will make a quick profit, and the fraudster will even go so far as to provide all the expertise to facilitate the transaction(s). The most common conclusion is that a victim will begin to start asking questions of their money and when it becomes apparent that it has been stolen, the fraudster will cut contact and block them. Once reported, the investigation into these crimes will usually indicate that the victim’s money has been transferred to a bank account, Crypto account or what is known as a ‘Cold Storage Wallet’ or a ‘Cold Wallet’ outside of Ireland.

An Garda Síochána’s advice:

• Use a reputable dating site and its messaging function to help avoid moving to social media or texting too quickly.
• Be careful with how much you share about your personal circumstances, and never give anyone access to your computer.
• These dating sites often use algorithms to find people using multiple different profiles from the same IP address, and this is a protection for the potential victim.
• Take the image(s) they are using on their profile and Google Reverse Image Search 
• Be careful of what personal details you share on your profile and do not give your address, a copy of your passport or driving licence.
• Be wary of anyone asking lots of questions about you but not revealing much about themselves, or anyone asking you to video call but they won’t

• Never, ever send money or give your bank details including online banking password to someone you have met online
• Do not make any payment on the pretence that they visit you 
• Do not invest your money in any opportunity offered by a person that you’ve connected with online - always seek independent financial and legal advice 
• Do not download any app that they ask you to i.e. Any Desk 
• If you become suspicious, save all your correspondence with the individual and immediately make contact with your bank and any Garda Station 
• Look out for inconsistencies like they’re university educated, but their spelling and grammar is below average. 
• Act on instinct if you spot gaps in their story which can often occur as the fraudster mixes up which victim they are speaking with.

If you have previously been or believe that you are a victim of a romance scam, please speak with us at any Garda Station. This can very easily happen and no one should feel embarrassed, we are here to help and will treat every report in confidence.”

The Gardaí at Macroom are investigating a Sexual Assault incident on 29th March 2024, shortly before 5pm. The teenage victim left her residence and walked the short distance to Macroom, walking along New Street towards the centre of the town.

As she approached the bridge over the River Sullane (Castle Street), she noticed a man (suspect) sitting on a low wall, looking at his phone. He was facing her direction as she crossed at the pedestrian crossing. As she walked over the bridge, she became aware of footsteps close behind. She saw the man who had been sitting on the wall walking along behind her.

As she had almost crossed the bridge, the suspect passed the victim and walked a few steps ahead of her towards North Square. The suspect stopped briefly at a bank ATM as the victim continued walking on the main footpath, walking past several business premises.

The suspect by walking on the road at the Square, managed to once again get ahead of the victim, only to stop as if browsing in a shop window, allowing the victim to get in front of him again.

Shortly after, the victim reached the door of a hotel and entered. The suspect walked past while looking in the direction of the victim. A few seconds later, he turned back, followed the victim through the hotel. When the victim reached the exit door she was approached by the suspect -this the scene of the incident. (Details of which are not being released for operational reasons).

The suspect then went through the hotel car park, and continued into a nearby shopping centre car park where he began to run and take off his hoodie top, exposing a Liverpool training top (2019). The suspect turned right in the direction of the square, continuing back across the bridge returning to the low wall on Castle street.

Suspect description:

• Age - Probably in his 30s
• Medium height and build
• Dark hair
• Black pullover hoodie
• Dirty grey/black work trousers)
• Liverpool jersey (‘AXA’ across the chest and Liverpool crest on left hand side)
• Clean, white Nike runners (Black Nike tick)
• Possible stubble

Garda appeal:

• Do you think you might know the identity of the suspect? Perhaps you have considered that he may just finished work nearby and was waiting on a lift, with wearing the Liverpool training top and clean white runners?
• Do you recall dropping off or picking up someone matching this description at this time, in this location?
• Do you recall receiving a video via mobile phone of an incident around this time, similar to the actions taken here?
• If you are in a position to assist the investigation Gardaí would like to assure you that you will be treated with sensitivity.

The Gardaí at Mayorstone are investigating the unauthorised taking of a vehicle on the 27th of February this year.  On the date in question, shortly after 4:50pm, two suspects approached a white Mazda Demio car parked at a shopping centre in the Dooradoyle area of Limerick City.  They made their way into the car and drove off.  Less than an hour later, the vehicle was seen (25) kms away, at an industrial estate in Shannon, Co. Clare.  Just before 6pm, the car pulled into a filling station just outside Sixmildbridge, but subsequently left without refuelling.

At approximately 9:25pm, the same vehicle stopped outside a house on Hogan Avenue in the Thomand Park area of Limerick City where two male suspects exited the vehicle.  A number of bottles were set alight and thrown at the house and victim’s car, setting it alight.  The suspects then left the area in the Mazda Demio, passing through Hassetts Cross towards Shelbourne Road.  The car was later recovered destroyed by fire at Hillcroft Close,  Garryowen, Limerick.  The suspects left the area in the direction of St. Patricks Road.

Descriptions of suspects:

Three males – all wearing dark clothing and covered up.

Vehicle Details:

• White Mazda Demio
• Registration: 142-L-2766

Garda Appeal:

• Anyone that may have been in the Dooradoyle area of Limerick City on the 27th February this year, at approximately 4:50pm, that may have witnessed the unauthorised taking of this vehicle.
• Did you see this vehicle between 4:50pm and 9:40pm?
• Were you in the Shannon, or Sixmilebridge area of Co Clare or the Dooradoyle, Hogan Avenue or Garryowen areas of Limerick during these times and recall seeing these males or vehicle?
• Do you recognise the suspects in this incident?
• Anyone that can assist with this investigation, to please contact them.

Gardaí at Dunboyne Garda Station are currently seeking the public’s assistance, in locating 24 year old Gregory Izundu.

Last Known Address:

• Last known address is a hostel in Dublin City Centre.
• Previously resided in Summerseat, Clonee, Co Meath

Description:

• Height 5ft. 9”
• Medium build
• Black hair with dreadlocks
• Distinctive tattoo on his hand

Gardaí at Wicklow Garda station are currently seeking the public’s assistance, in locating 31-year-old John Connors.

Last Known Address:

• The Ranch, Boherboy Road, Saggart, Co. Dublin
• Known to frequent Silverpines, Tullow Road, Carlow

Description:

• 6 foot tall
• Blonde Hair
• Green Eyes
• Medium build