Alert as conmen strike

RESIDENTS have been urged to keep an eye on their elderly neighbours after con artists appeared to target specific areas across the Southside recently.

A number of calls were received by Southside People regarding several incidents whereby older people were taken in by gangs that had offered to do gardening work for exorbitant rates.

While this can be an ongoing problem, according to gardai, the issue prompted readers to alert us to the fact that several elderly people had been taken in by the conmen, particularly in the Churchtown area.

One female caller told us how her neighbour had agreed to have her front and back garden mowed for

?¬800.

“She was just blatantly ripped off,

? this caller told us.

“It was obvious what was after happening. I only noticed after they left her front garden half done and I asked this woman how much she had paid.

“Not only had they charged her an astronomical amount of money she had of course already paid them before they had even finished the work.

?

Another caller, referring to the same area, claimed a different elderly person had agreed a price but when she told the gang that she didn’t have the money in the house they tried to pressure her into going to an ATM.

“At the last minute she got cold feet and called one of her relatives who agreed to come down to the house,

? this caller told us.

“As soon as she told these guys her daughter was on her way down they disappeared.

?

Gardai said it was difficult for them to pursue rogue workers through the courts if someone has agreed to pay for work, as it then becomes a civil matter but they urged people to to be on the alert.

“Unfortunately this happens throughout the city and elsewhere of course, and we would ask people to keep an eye out for suspicious activity and to alert us as quickly as they can,

? a Garda spokesperson said.

“The community gardai are very active on the ground and they can help keep an eye out for this sort of activity if they are told about it.

?

The Garda also directed readers to their website (www.garda.ie) where it has specific advice regarding

‘scams’.

“Be alert to con artists,

? it suggests.

“Don’t fall for anything that sounds too good to be true.

“Be wary of bogus trades people calling to your door and advising you that your roof needs to be repaired, gutters are blocked and need to be cleared, trees need to be felled etc.

?