Police pledge on elderly attacks

The briefing follows a spate of elderly robberies

The police have said extra resources will be put into tackling robberies of elderly people.

Assistant Chief Constable Judith Gillespie made the announcement at a public meeting of the Policing Board.

She said the number of elderly victims had fallen in the Armagh, Mourne and Newry areas, but police would continue to work on reducing the numbers.

On Monday, five pensioners were attacked and robbed in their homes within a five-hour period.

Assistant Chief Constable Gillespie said she understood the figures would be of little comfort to elderly people in the Armagh, Mourne and Newry areas who had already been victims of crime.

"But the overall figures are down and that should provide some reassurance," she said.

"We have targeted operations planned for the forthcoming weeks and months which will use those resources in addition to what the districts have."

Policing Board vice chairman Barry Gilligan said board members were concerned about the "vile and horrendous attacks".

"However, this is not just a policing issue - the community as a whole have a part to play in ensuring that they report anything they think is relevant to the police," he said.

"Our social responsibility to our neighbours - particularly those who are vulnerable - is all the more poignant at Christmas time and we want to see the perpetrators caught and prevented from carrying out such attacks."

Attacks

Three of the attacks on Monday were in Crumlin in County Antrim and another in nearby Ballinderry.

The fifth happened in Glengormley, also in County Antrim.

The five victims were aged from 68 to 91.