Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Robberies in Belleek and Whitecross area

Published: 25 April, 2009

Sinn Féin Fews representative Jimmy Mc Creesh has called for greater community awareness following a spate of recent robberies in the Belleek/Whitecross area. The community activist was speaking in the wake of three separate house break-ins in the Belleek/Whitecross area. The local councillor also revealed that in another incident a van was stolen from outside a house in Ard Cairdeal, Belleek.

The Fews representative stated that the only way to defeat the despicable individuals involved in these criminal acts is to remain vigilante and alert. He also noted that crimes of this nature were becoming frighteningly common in the area, and that this represented a sinister development. The Fews councillor revealed that the "most distasteful element" behind these incidents is that the perpetrators are known to live in the area.

"People must remain alert to these culprits. They have no regard for this community or for the right of the people of this community to enjoy the use of their own possessions. These hoodlums seem to think that they are a law onto themselves and that they can treat this community with the contempt that they have done so." Mc Creesh commented.

"The thugs behind these incidents are not outsiders as people often attempt to attribute blame to. They are from within this community and evidently have no regard for communal well being in this area. This community deserves better and we are not prepared to stand idly by whilst these people run amok" he added.

Mc Creesh concluded by stating that the PSNI must step up to the bar and take a pro-active step in tackling this scourge on the community. He noted that whilst they were involved in other high spending, cosmetic PR stunts in the area in the last week they have consistently failed to address this issue time after time.

"We have called on our community to support the PSNI. Now it is time for the PSNI to reciprocate that support and start serving our community" the councillor concluded