GARDAÍ have appealed for information following two handbag snatches in Limerick City in which the victims were threatened with a knife and a scissors.
Appealing for information this Monday morning, Garda John Finnerty, Henry Street Garda Station, said both incidents occurred last Friday evening.
“Two women were the subject of a robbery last Friday evening at 7.10pm on New Street in Limerick City. Both were walking in the direction of Punch’s Cross when a blue Toyota Corolla pulled up beside them. The passenger in this car jumped out and threatened them with a small silver knife that was approximately 7cm long,” Garda Finnerty explained.
“The thief attempted to cut the strap of the handbag from the first woman who relented and handed over her handbag to the thief. The thief then attempted to take another handbag from the second woman by force but she refused to hand over her handbag and the thief knocked her on the ground.”
“At this stage a male passerby who realised what was going on intervened and managed to get the first handbag back from the thief who left empty handed and he jumped back into the car and it sped off.”
Garda Finnerty said Gardaí were trying to trace the whereabouts of the blue Corolla, and he described the suspect as “approximately 5ft 5 inches, wearing a grey ‘11 Degrees’ puff jacket with the hood up” and they appeared to be under the influence of drugs”.
A second man suspected of assisting the armed man had a spider web tattoo on his right elbow.
Both women were clearly traumatised by the events but neither were physically injured.
Garda Finnerty said a second robbery occurred a short time later when a woman was threatened by a man armed with a scissors, at the Junction of John Street and Grattan Street, around 9.10pm.
“She had a purple shoulder bag across her shoulder, a thief approached her and threatened her with a small scissors and demanded that she hand over her handbag, the victim relented and handed it over,” said Garda Finnerty.
“The thief took the handbag and ran down Grattan Street. He is described as approximately 5ft 5 inches, and he was wearing a grey jacket with the hood pulled up.”
“The victim was clearly traumatised and it’s likely that the robberies are related so if anyone has information about either crime, they should contact Roxboro Road Garda Station at 061-214340.”
