A Dublin City Councillor's e-bike was stolen while he sat in a Council meeting last night.
Former Lord Mayor Dermot Lacey had left his bike outside city hall with a sturdy lock on it. But when he came out of the meeting his e-bike was nowhere to be seen.
The Labour councillor has campaigned in the past for greater bike facilities across Dublin but feels that the devastating effects of petty crimes are often not recognised. He told Dublin Live that he fears that his expensive bike may well be gone for good.
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He said: "I was at a city council meeting and when I came back down at around 9:40pm, I looked for my bike and there was no bike there. There was a tourist there with really bad English but she was trying to be helpful. She said that she had seen children take bikes.
"They would have had to have an angle grinder to get the lock off. It was one of those really expensive locks. They are meant to be unbreakable.
"I gathered there were a couple of other bikes gone as well. The theft is a problem. The inconvenience is a problem. I bought it on the bike to work scheme. It's going to cost me a fair few bob. It cost around €2,500. It's a good one.
"I've been an e-bike champion since '99. I was one of the very first people in Ireland to have one. This is my fourth bike. I've always tried to champion one. The e-bike is great for travelling around my constituency.
"I am fairly browned off. The sad truth is that it's probably already in a container at Dublin Port or on the sea. I got the impression from the . tourist that there was a gang of young people.
"I've been advocating for cyclists on the council. I've been calling for better facilities. This was on Bernardo Square, right in city centre with plenty of lighting. Like everyone says, we need more visible guards on the beat. We need more of them.
"I just don't get a sense that there is an understanding of the impact of low level crime. I'm reasonably comfortable. I'm 62 years of age. If this had happened to a young commis chef or an apprentice, it wouldn't just be a question of property theft. That impacts profoundly on their life and their ability to get on with life. If we don't start tackling the low level crime, I just wonder where we are going."
Dublin Live has contacted An Garda Siochana for comment.
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