AT LEAST two young local motorists were greeted with unpleasant surprises over the Christmas holiday period when they discovered their vehicles broken into and rendered useless by mindless vandals.
Dylan Morrissey and Darren Smyth were two of a rumoured five people who found their cars damaged and, more than likely, written off beyond economic repair.
Speaking to The Echo, Dylan (23) explained how he had been heading home from work at around 6:30 in the morning on the Sunday before New Year’s when he found his car had been broken into. He had parked it in Railway Square while he went to work in Treacy’s Hotel.
“They used a crowbar or something to pry open the door and left it badly bent. They ripped all the wire out from under the steering wheel to try and hot-wire it and, obviously when that didn’t work, they stuck a screwdriver or something in the ignition barrel and destroyed that.”
Dylan’s friend Darren discovered his car had been given the same treatment the following Tuesday.
Dylan said: “My car is with the insurance company but it’s 90% certain that they’re going to say it’s beyond economic repair.”
A spokesperson for the Gardai said, unfortunately, such instances of damage to cars were common enough: “On this occasion, the elements were against us. With heavy rain, there would be no point in performing technical exams of the car. We’re asking anyone with any information, who may have seen anything on this occasion to contact us.”
[Full story in this week’s Echo]