Thursday, August 27, 2009

Parish priest latest victim of spate of Sligo robberies

A parish priest robbed in his house last weekend was among the latest victims of a recent spate of burglaries and robberies that have plagued County’s Sligo and Mayo in recent months.

Fr. John Doherty, the parish priest of Gurteen who only recently celebrated his Golden Jubilee, answered the doorbell of his house last weekend only to be confronted by a number of men who rushed in.

They subsequently left with the parochial safe containing a sum of money. It is believed the thieves escaped with the safe in a car that travelled in the Culfadda direction.

The car had been stolen from outside Fr. Doherty's house. The safe is still missing but it is understood the stolen car was recovered in the Ballygawley area. Fr Doherty (71) was unhurt but is said to be badly shaken after the incident.

Gardaí have appealed to the public for any information or help, and have asked that owners of vacant houses or sheds check their properties as well as roadside drains in the effort to find the missing parochial safe.

Anyone with information is asked to call Ballymote Garda Station.

The Gurteen burglary was among a number of such incidents that have taken place throughout the county in recent weeks in which both private homes and shops have been hit.

Anyone with information about any of these crimes or who witness suspicious activity in their area, is asked to immediately call their local Garda station, or the Gárdaí at Ballymote at 071... or Sligo at 071 91 42031.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

SIC: CIN