Clare gardaí urge vigilance as incidents of 'distraction theft' increase

With distraction theft on the rise, Clare gardaí have issued crime prevention advice to the public on what this means and how it can be avoided. 

An example of this took place on Sunday, March 30, when a male entered a retail premises and asked the shop assistant for a pack of cigarettes.

He attempted to pay for the cigarettes which saw his card being declined and whilst the store assistant was dealing with this card, the man switched out an empty pack of cigarettes for the full pack. The empty pack appeared intact and full, deceiving the shop assistant. This is what is known as distraction theft.

In simple terms, it is when a person uses distraction tactics to catch their victims off guard and pull their focus away from what they are doing. Once distracted, a thief, or thieves, will proceed to then steal items.

This can happen anywhere, including on the premises or outside and offenders often tend to target people who are elderly or alone.

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Methods of distraction theft can include crowding, dropping money on the ground near the potential victim, striking up a conversation, asking for directions, or pretending there is something wrong with the target’s car.

As a shopper, here are some ways to avoid being the victim of distraction theft:

• Awareness is one-step in protecting yourself from distraction theft, it is also vital to stay alert and be aware of your  surroundings.
• Be cautious of people who approach you in public spaces who are being overly friendly, helpful or ask for your help as they may be trying to distract you.
• If you ever feel like you are targeted, yell or make noise to attract attention and call 999.

As an employee, here are some tips to protect yourself and your business from distraction theft:

• Staff should try to pay attention to everyone entering and spending time in their shop and to report any suspicious activity.
• Try to take note of individuals that are not engaging in business activity, speak to them. Criminals do not want to be remembered, they want to remain anonymous and engagement may encourage them to leave your premises.
• Be mindful of the location of CCTV cameras in your shop; try to engage with anyone acting suspiciously, where a camera is located.