Gardaí warn motorists in Letterkenny following three car thefts in a week

Gardaí have issued a warning to motorists after three cars were reported as stolen in Letterkenny in the last week.

A silver Toyota Aqua registration number ‘152 D 32563’ was stolen from Duffy’s Lane, Rosemount, Letterkenny between 11pm on Wednesday, May 24, and 10am on Thursday, May 25. The car had been locked and the key was with the owner. This car has not yet been located.

Then, a black Toyota Aqua registration number ‘162 DL 3146’ was stolen from a driveway at Glencar Park, Letterkenny between 7.30pm on Friday, May 26, and approximately 3.30am on Saturday, May 27. Gardaí received a report shortly before 3.50am to say that the car in question was on fire at Fairgreen Hill, Letterkenny. Again, the keys had been with the owner and it had been locked.

A red Toyota Vitz registration number ’06 D 121790’ was stolen from the Chestnut Grove area of Letterkenny between Saturday, May 27, at 9am and Sunday, May 28, at 7pm. This car has not yet been located.

“We appeal to anybody who has any relevant information in relation to any of these three car thefts to make contact with Gardaí in Letterkenny,” a Garda spokesperson said. “If anybody observed any suspicious activity in any of the areas named between the dates given then we want to hear from them. Should anybody come across either of the two outstanding stolen cars, we ask them to contact us immediately.

“Earlier this year, statistics from An Garda Síochána showed a growth in Car Theft / Unauthorised Taking of Vehicle offences. This is driven by the theft of second-hand imported cars from outside Europe, and may be due to the lack of security features in the most commonly stolen imported vehicles.

“For instance, many second-hand car imports do not have a fully fitted car alarm system or are without a fitted immobiliser. This makes them vulnerable to hot-wiring. If the model has a keyless ignition it has been proven possible to pick up a signal from the key fob from within the house where it is parked.

“Buyers should check the security features of their vehicles and make decisions relating to augmenting security. For cars without an immobiliser, an additional steering wheel lock or chain should be considered.”