News

Dungannon homes targeted by burglars.

A number of homeowners living within the Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough have been targeted by burglars recently, Police have said.

Last Tuesday (August 24) a property at Thornhill Road in the town and two at Dungorman Road, Moy were targeted.

The back PVC door of the property at Thornhill Road was kicked in with the intruders taking an Acer Laptop. And during the first at the Dungorman Road, the property's front door was broken open with thieves ransacking it before stealing a 42 inch Philips television, a lap top and a quantity of cash.

In the second at the Dungorman Road, burglars forced open the front door however it is not known what was taken.

Meanwhile last Monday (August 23) four burglaries and a stolen car were reported to police.

The Peugeot 306 registration V88 6HBP was stolen from a property at the Fintona Road, Clogher. And on the same date a burglary was reported at the Castletown Road, Dungannon, two at the Mountjoy Road, Coalisland and one at Aughentaine Road in the Clogher Valley area. Police say the burglary at the Castletown Road occurred sometime between 8:25am and 2:50pm adding that they are keen to hear from anyone who saw a blue car in the area at the time.

Meanwhile at the Mountjoy Road in Coalisland, two properties were targeted. A chequebook was stolen from one while a second house was ransacked. Police say the back door of the property was forced open however it is not known what was taken.

And on the same date, a "hotline" battery and an electric fencer was taken from a property on the Aughentaine Road. Inspector Moneypenny of Dungannon police says he is keen to hear from anyone who has any information on the above burglaries. He said: "We are also concerned that a blue Volkswagen Passat registration MNZ 2289 and a similar silver coloured car are being used to target businesses for burglaries in the area." He claimed last Monday (August 23) the blue car was seen driving off at speed from a property at the Dungannon Road, Ballygawley when the home owner returned.

Police have also arrested a man in connection with an attempted burglary at Ferndale in Clogher last Thursday (August 26). They say that the man was attempting to remove a lawnmower and a gas cylinder from a shed however received a concussion after he tried to jump a 15ft fence. He was subsequently arrested.

This spate of burglaries comes soon after Ulster Unionist MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Tom Elliot expressed concern that the Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough is experiencing a "crime surge" which is "out of control".

Said Mr Elliot: "The fact that robberies in the last year have increased by 128 percent and burglaries by 45 percent beggars belief".

The Assemblyman added: "To give a better sense of the scale of this problem, we're talking 429 reported burglaries taking place in this area in the space of just a year-up from 296 in 08/09.

"In the current climate a surge in such activity is not exactly surprising, but is also less and less acceptable when decent, hard working families are being stripped of their hard earned money and possessions."

Source: Tyrone Courier
Date: September 1st 2010