Campus Hit by Spate of Pick-Pocket Type Thefts

Published in the Galway City Tribune on 18 November 2011


NUI Galway has been hit by a spate of personal thefts, with 15 wallets and purses reported stolen from the environs of the campus on a single day.

The pickpocket-style thefts are understood to have occurred in daylight hours in the vicinity of University Road and Gardaí have warned students to stop "making themselves targets" by not closing their backpacks properly.

The victims of the crimes have been students of NUI Galway and have been pre-dominantly female, according to the Garda and security at the University which have both received complaints in relation to the thefts.

Head of security at NUI Galway Gerry Nolan has issued advice to students following the spate of thefts. "Most incidents involved money secured in the pockets of backpacks worn over the shoulder and out of sight," he said.

"Students should remains vigilant, refrain from storing items of value in bags that are not completely out of sight and report any incidents of theft to the Garda directly."

A spokesperson for the Garda advised students to be "more careful about the manner in which they secure their belongings". Students should prevent "making themselves targets by no closing their backpacks properly", he added.

There have been no arrests in connection with to date, however gardaí are carrying out ongoing patrols of the area.

Mr. Nolan said that the University had only ever experienced incidents of theft on this scale in the form of bicycle thefts.

18 Nov 2011

by Jessica Thompson and Louise France