A PORTLAW resident has issued a heartfelt appeal for the return of a sentimental family heirloom which was stolen in a burglary a year ago this week.
Mary Larkin’s house on Queen Street, Portlaw was burgled last summer – with a spate of burglaries occurring in the village around the same time.
A shocked Mary returned to her home to find a pickaxe, hatchet, hammer and shovel in her bedroom where a safe had been hacked and emptied.
Many items of jewellery were stolen, including a “priceless” gold locket which includes black and white photos of her mother and father.
Mary’s sister Kathleen, who owns a similar locket, highlighted the incident in The Munster Express last year saying her sister was heartbroken at her loss.
Kathleen has reiterated her call for help in locating the locket and also a platinum wedding ring which survived The Blitz in London, and which had been passed down through the family.
Last summer, following the incident, Kathleen embarked on a campaign to highlight the need for Portlaw’s Garda Station to be re-opened as she believes the lack of Garda presence in the village is attracting and encouraging criminality.
“We need our Garda station to be reopened and we need a Garda in the village. We have been forgotten about,” she said.
“When the Gardaí arrive they are good, but we have to ring Tramore or Kilmacthomas.”
Kathleen highlighted that Minister Shane Ross was able to recently secure the re-opening of Stepaside Garda Station in Dublin. She claims there have been a number of worrying incidents in Portlaw recently yet again.
“Mary’s still afraid of her life going into the house on her own. I feel the same in my own house. I genuinely feel I can’t go anywhere without worrying,” she said.
“A lot of people in the village feel the same. If a couple want to go to Mass, they’re thinking about going at different times so they’re not both out of the house at the same time.”
Kathleen, who recently spent a significant amount of money installing a house alarm due to her concerns, is signed up to the local Text Alert system but feels a Garda presence in the village is paramount to crime prevention.
The family are offering a large financial reward for the safe return of the gold locket and anyone with any information is asked to contact Kathleen on 087-6801144.
