LIMERICK Gardai warn that gloves are off in their search for a various assortment of city handbag snatchers, including one wearing red kitchen oven gloves.
In a fresh appeal to women to be extra vigilant, gardai are believed to be hot on the trail of the oven gloves suspect who raced off with his pickings of cash and credit cards from a woman while she was walking on Clancy Strand.
“We don’t know the purpose of wearing gloves…it was most unusual,” said a spokesperson.
The culprit was wearing blue jeans, a beige/green jacket and a green baseball cap, and described as around 6ft and in his mid forties.
After the theft, he made his escape in a nearby green Toyota.
A number of handbag snatches have been reported in recent days.
Two blonde females were responsible for a handbag theft outside Penneys on Sunday, September 26, at 12.20am.
They were described as around 20 to 25 years old, and relieved the lone female of her bag and possessions.
Later on the same day there were a number of similar thefts.
A woman walking from her car to her house at Aisling Heights, Raheen, at around 8.50pm, was approached by a male in a grey hoodie who took her handbag, containing valuables, and he drove away in a silver saloon model car.
A short time later a similar incident occurred at Abbey Court, Ballykeeffe, when a female was confronted by two males.
Her bag contained a mobile phone, passport, cash and credit cards.
Henry Street Inspector John O’Reilly, told the Limerick Post that there had not been a noticeable increase in thefts from the person overall this year in the Henry Street and Roxboro jurisdictions, but that “four handbag thefts in five days was quite a high number.
“I’d advise people to think about what they put in their bags that they would be sorry to lose.
“Don’t carry valuables or cash or items of sentimental value that would be distressing to lose.
“I would also advise women not to leave their bags in their car or even to put them in the boot as they may be watched by thieves.
“Don’t leave handbags on passenger seats as they can be swiped by thieves when stopped at traffic lights”.
Inspector O’Reilly said that investigations were continuing and that gardaí are hopeful of tracking down those responsible.
