Gardai respond to Multy residents' fears

Reacting swiftly to a series of break-ins in the Multyfarnham area, Gardai have made the unexpected decision to re-open the village's Garda station.Multyfarnham man and Coole Area Councillor Dan McCarthy welcomed the news that a manned Garda Station will soon return to the area."I have only praise for the Gardai. They have responded swiftly to the recent break-ins in Multyfarnham and Chief Inspector Ryan has personally guaranteed to me that the station in Multyfarnham will be a full-time Garda Station again within the month."Inspector Kieran Keyes said the village already had a visibly increased Garda presence and that following a tip-off from a member of the public, Gardai already had three suspects detained at Mullingar Garda Station in relation to last week's break-ins."The suspects were detained following a call from a member of the public reporting suspicious activity. I would like to commend this sort of action and say to people to be vigilant. Especially in rural areas and report suspicious behaviour."The public should also be aware that action is being taken by the Gardai and that files are being prepared for the DPP in relation to last weeks break-ins in the Multyfarnham area."The most recent break-ins,believed by the Gardai to be connected, occurred last Monday, July 13th, when thieves gained entry through a back window of a home in Ballindurrow and escaped with a sum of cash. Illegal admittance was then achieved at a second home in Crookedwood where rooms were ransacked but nothing was taken; a rear window was forced at a third home at Foxburrow, Crookedwood and the thieves made of with jewellery and cash.Cllr McCarthy believes that Multyfarnham has an unenviable position on the N4."I told Superintendent Ryan that opportunistic criminals could target Multyfarnham and use the road network to exit the area long before gardai could arrive from Mullingar. Dublin is only just down the road and criminals can just disappear to the capital," said Cllr McCarthy.There was widespread condemnation at the when rural single officer Garda Stations Westmeath were targeted for closure earlier in the year.During his election canvassing in the Multyfarnham area, Labour Cllr McCarthy had publicly noted that people in remote areas were no longer answering their front doors, opting instead to come out from the back of the house so that they could not be rushed and attacked on answering the door.Another Coole Area Councillor and member of the Westmeath Joint Policing Committee, Cllr Paddy Hill told the Westmeath Examiner that closure of rural stations would "give incentives to the people who rob and steal to go into these areas".The re-opening of the Garda Station in Multyfarnham flies in the face of the recent recommendations from An Bord Snip Nua, that the Garda station network be reduced by around half.It is expected that the Garda Station at Multyfarnham will be manned within the month