Gardaí step up Salthill patrols after attempts to rob women

Date Published: 21-Nov-2011

BY FRANK FARRAGHER

GARDAÍ have confirmed that they have increased patrols in the Salthill area after two attempted robberies on women walking alone last Saturday night.

It seems almost certain that the same individual was involved in approaches to the two women – in each case, the man demanded that the women hand over their handbags.

However the assailant left empty-handed with both women running away from the man, who appeared to be carrying what looked a piece of a broken stick.

In one of the cases, the man grabbed the hoodie of one of the victims, but she managed to push him off before running away and then raising the alarm.

The woman had just exited from the Devon Park area and was walking towards the city when the attacker attempted to rob her at around 10.30pm.

About a half hour later in the Churchfields area of Lower Salthill, another woman was approached by the man who also demanded that she give him his handbag. Again, she ran off and the man left with nothing.

A Garda spokesman said that they were taking a very serious view of the approaches to the two women involved and assured the public that extra patrols had been deployed to the area.

“If at all possible, we would urge women not to walk alone at night and to report anything suspicious to us. This was a very distressing experience for the two women concerned,” said a Garda spokesman.

Gardaí say that the man was about 5’10” to 6’ tall, of stocky build and he wore a dark jacket, possibly a hoodie, with his face partially hidden. He spoke with what Gardaí describe as an Irish accent.

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