OUTRAGED RESIDENTS have decided that enough is enough after a spate of recent burglaries at an Enniscorthy housing estate.

A public meeting was held on Friday evening by those living in Fr. Murphy Park and a committee was established to begin a neighbourhood watch scheme in a desperate attempt to restore order.

Gardai are currently investigating the recent break ins, with six taking place in the past number of weeks by a gang of young men who are understood to not be from the town.

An arrest was made last week on one suspected gang member, and The Echo understands a Garda was injured in the process.

One concerned committee member, who does not wish to be named, said that matters have spiralled out of control.

“We were told at the meeting on Friday that 24 houses have been broken into since October, and six in the past few weeks alone,” she commented.

“They’re taking money and jewellery – in fact, one woman who was robbed had every bit of jewellery she owned taken, even her family’s jewellery that she was saving over the years.”

She told The Echo that in another recent incident, a man who happened upon the thugs as they attempted to rob his home was threatened with a sweeping brush that had a knife attached to the top.

“People are afraid, there is a real sense of fear,” the woman said. “Especially for older people – I mean you can’t even feel relaxed in your own home. It’s outrageous.”

She said that a large crowd attended the public meeting and a committee of 12 people was set up, with the view to carry out regular neighbourhood watch patrols.

“One man was saying that a similar scheme was talked about years ago but it never went ahead. But now people are taking the bull by the horns – we are not going to stand for this. We are not sitting by and letting these people get away with robbing our homes.”