Irish homeowners are being warned of a recurring form of burglary being reported around the country.
Distraction robberies are carried out by two or more people who create a plan to side track whoever is in the home as another person enters and robs the property.
Gardai have been made aware of one couple in Cork who are pretending to be looking for their cat in order to get homeowners to leave and enter the back garden in search of the pet.
According to officers, the woman calls to the front door of the targeted person and asks about a lost kitten while the man enters the home to steal whatever he can find in the meantime.
A Garda spokesperson told Echo Live: "She tells the homeowner that a cat has jumped over the wall and made their way into their garden. It’s always the female who calls at the door.
"Meanwhile, the male is outside watching in a vehicle, waiting till the homeowner is distracted so he can enter the house and see what he can get."
The Garda spokesperson went on to say that: "While the woman might seem chatty and friendly, there is never any reference to her history or why she is in that particular area.
"When the homeowner is distracted, the male appears looking for jewellery and cash.”
Gardai say these types of robberies are occurring in broad daylight, between 1.50pm and 2.30pm.
They described the man as having bleached hair, while the woman's hair is dark and curly.
While this story is unique to the couple right now, officers are warning the public that they may change it depending on the area.
"The cat is the distraction at the moment but tomorrow it could be something else. It’s important to remember that these people are very convincing."
According to ibec, we can prevent and reduce distraction burglaries by following these simple tips:
- Are you expecting callers? If not, look out the window to get a good view of the caller.
- Have a viewer fitted in your door? You are safer behind a closed door
- Have a door chain / limiter fitted and keep the chain / limiter on, if you must open the door, use the limiter. Consider installing doorbells that link to your mobile phone
- Make sure your back door is locked before you answer the front door
- If you are going to engage, ask for ID – a genuine caller won’t mind!
- Don’t be embarrassed to tell the caller to leave their contact details and make an appointment
- Use recommended tradespeople, avoid using the services of cold callers
- The basic rule is if you don’t know the person at your door, you shouldn’t let them in
- If you are anxious contact your local Garda station via telephone at this time
