Gardaí teaming up with Meals On Wheels

LOCAL gardai have teamed up with Rosscarbery Social Services, Meals On Wheels, to assist members of the community in promoting crime prevention.

 The initiative  will see the volunteers from Meals on Wheels delivering crime prevention packs to people availing of their services. 

Fiona Calnan, chairperson of Rosscarbery Social Services, described it as an ‘ideal opportunity for us to reach out to the community to help with crime prevention.’

‘With some of our more rural deliveries, we can sometimes be the only contact that a person may have during the week,’ she said. 

 Crime prevention officer for the West Cork Division, Sgt James O’Donovan added: ‘This is another great way for us to get the message out there. Our crime prevention packs have advice on topics such as burglaries, cold callers and rogue traders.

 ‘We are asking everyone to be vigilant when someone calls to your door saying they are from a reputable company or organisation. Firstly, if you have a chain lock or door limiter, make sure it is on when you answer the door. Tell the caller that you never employ tradespeople or buy goods from people who ‘cold call’ to your door. If you are worried that a person who calls to your door is not who they say they are, call the gardaí immediately. Genuine tradespeople or organisations won’t be offended by any queries the gardaí may make.’

 Local resident Julia Hayes welcomed the initiative: ‘We are very lucky here in Rosscarbery to have such services – it’s all about preventing crime.’