PUBLIC ALERT: Laois/Offaly: Small Children Used As Burglars By Criminals Garda Warning

Burglars are believed to be using small children to break into properties around the midlands, gardaí have warned.

It is thought the criminals are taking advantage of the recent hot weather by using small children to gain access to homes through open windows.

Members of a community text alert scheme were informed by gardaí that "a number of burglaries have occurred in Laois and Offaly over (the) past week, which it is believed young kids are being used to enter small windows of houses."

They were urged to be aware of the risks involved in leaving windows open and warned to be on the on the lookout for suspicious individuals.

A senior garda said it was not unusual for young children to be involved in crime, including burglary. www.garda.ie 

Follow Joseph Anderson at: https://www.facebook.com/josephandersonyahoo.ie 

Maiduguri, Nigeria: 63 Girls, Women Escape From Boko Haram Extremist

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Officials say 63 girls and women abducted by Islamic extremists two weeks ago have escaped.

Nigerian security forces and federal government officials had denied reports of another mass abduction from three villages in the northeast on June 22.

Small-scale kidnappings by Boko Haram extremists had been going on for months when they drew international condemnation for the abductions of more than 200 schoolgirls from a school in Chibok town of Borno state April 15. Some 219 of those girls still are missing.

The government and military failure to rescue them has attracted criticism at home and abroad.

Local government chairman Pogu Bitrus and vigilante leader Abbas Gava said they verified that 63 women and girls escaped Thursday and Friday while their captors were engaged in a major battle with soldiers.

PUBLIC ALERT: Greystones, County Wicklow: Gardai Seek Suspect For Attempted Abduction Of Girl (8): *NEW UPDATE

GARDAI and locals in north Wicklow are looking for a man who tried to abduct an eight-year-old girl right outside her family home. www.garda.ie

*NEW UPDATE: LINK:
www.independent.ie/irish/news/gardai-hunt-suspected-drivers-after-childabduction-bids-30473181.html

Last Monday, (JUNE 16th)  the little girl was walking to school, which is only a few metres from her family home in Greystones, when a man in a white van pulled up beside her and asked her to get in.

She refused to get in and arrived at school shortly afterwards to tell her teachers.

Aside from being a “little stressed from all the attention,” she is doing well now, her father said.

"We live 200 yards from the school. The incident occurred alongside it," he told the Irish Mirror.

"Our initial reaction was someone was playing a practical joke but as the phone call progressed we realised it did happen. "She gave a good description to gardai.

"We're just glad she knew what to do and she is very brave. We are not the story his actions are and it should be focused on him." He thanked both the school and the gardai for their help.

“She’s fine. She’s from a good and decent family,” said neighbour and local Sinn Fein councillor Nicola Lawless. “Greystones gardai are on the ball and they’re putting up information around safety since it happened,” she said. “The community guards are getting calls in, reporting sightings and they are taking them very seriously,” she added.

Last Monday morning, at approximately 8.40am, a white long-base panel van pulled up alongside the girl in Kenmare Heights in Greystones.

The man is described as being in his mid-30s with a British accent and tanned skin. He is of slim build and was wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt.

Friends and locals have had a photo-fit drawn up and it is being circulated online and in the community.

“Everyone is very well clued in and in this case social media is a good tool. People have a good idea of what the person possibly could look like,” said Ms Lawless.

VIGILANT:

While parents in the seaside town are not hysterical they are on high alert, explained the councillor.

“The primary school is smack bang in the middle of the housing estate and there’s also an isolated laneway,” she added. She urged people to remain vigilant.

Another neighbour said the little girl was “practically outside her own home,” when the incident occurred.

Gardai said they are investigating the matter and that no arrests have been made.