Young 'thugs' are tormenting retailers in Kilkenny

A clampdown on a group of young ‘thugs’ who are terrorising retailers on High Street is urgently needed according to members of Kilkenny’s Joint Policing Committee (JPC).

The comments were made at Monday’s meeting of the JPC following a presentation of the latest crime statistics which revealed that there has been a significant increase in thefts from shops in the first three months of the year. From January to March of this year there were 98 theft from shops reported in the Kilkenny and Thomastown Garda Districts — an increase of over 62%.

School in Kilkenny gets permission for extension

Councillor Eugene McGuinness spoke at the meeting and stated that there were ‘questions around policing in the city concerning me’.

Picket under way at Kilkenny Fire Station, with day-long closures on way for several local stations

“There are young thugs in the town that are in and out of shops and are causing mayhem. It is getting out of hand on High Street. If they are not stopped they will be wearing balaclavas in 20 years. It is totally unacceptable,” he said, adding that there were also youngsters throwing stones at cars on the road from the Callan Road to the Circular Road.

“The government seem more intent on putting gardaí into administration and in front of computers rather than boots on the streets. We no longer have a garda force but a garda service, we have to lift our game, this stuff is not good enough.

“We need more foot patrol on High Street. We have to get a handle on these thugs. I want it clamped down and eliminated,” added Cllr Eugene McGuinness.

Superintendent Aidan Brennan of Kilkenny Garda Station said the increase in thefts from shops ‘gives us cause for concern’ and added that retailers have been visited by a crime preventation officer and have been given the relevant advice.
Responding to the calls for more gardaí on the beat in the city Supt Brennan told members that he is ‘fighting as hard as I can for more resources’.

“Six gardaí have arrived in Kilkenny in the past two years. I am fighting as hard as I can for more resources. We are losing garda members. That is the problem the organisation is facing across the country. That is the HR reality that we find ourselves in,” he said adding that the gardaí have ‘foot patrols in Kilkenny every day.

Cllr Eugene McGuinness also raised the ongoing issue of anti-social behaviour at St Canice’s Steps in the heart of the medieval core of the city and the increased number of rough sleepers on the city’s streets.

“There are people sitting at St Canice’s Steps drinking day and night. We have laws to address this and there are tourists having to pass there all the time,” he said.

Supt Brennan said that gardaí are ‘constantly trying to address’ the anti-social behaviour at St Canice’s Steps. He also told the members that ‘rough sleepers are not an issue for the guards unless there is an intoxication or public order issue.