CCTV on Derry-Inishowen border crossings will help fight crime in the peninsula, a Donegal councillor has claimed.
Muff village on the Derry-Inihowen border, which has been target by cross-border gangs.
In recent years, there have been a number of armed robberies in villages along the border including Bridgend, Muff and St Johnston. Post Offices, businesses and private homes have been among those targeted. It is believed gangs operating out of Derry were responsible for the hold-ups.
A Donegal county councillor has said that the introduction of CCTV on the border would curb cross-border crime.
Cllr Michael McBride said incidents of cross-border crime had increased since the abolition of permanent security checkpoints at border crossings and has called for a vehicle number plate reading system currently on the approach roads to Dublin to be introduced along the Donegal’s border with the North.
Cllr McBride said: “Since the introduction of the Good Friday Agreement and checkpoints being taken away from border areas there has been an increase in cross-border crime.”
Cllr McBride stressed the “opening” of the border was welcomed but added a CCTV system was needed to curb crime, not just along the border, but throughout Donegal.
He added: “They have a new camera system on the motorways going into Dublin called Automatic Number Plate Readers (ANPR) and we need them on our major border crossings. We need them on our major veins, like our roundabouts, and strategically placed across Donegal.
“These really do help to stop crime . The number plates are put in the system and when they are picked up, they are highlighted and the Garda Siochana who then know the movements of people in the area. These cameras will help alleviate some of the problems we are having.”
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