The sinister reason people are putting sellotape on your keyholes
This trick is a worrying new trend for homeowners... here's what to do if you spot tape on your door.
HOMEOWNERS have been warned to look out for a piece of sellotape over keyholes – because it’s a new way for burglars to mark your property as vacant.
Homes in Dublin have been the latest targets of this chilling trick, with at least two properties in the same street being targeted.
According to one resident, who spoke to the : “It’s a tactic they use.
“They cover the keyhole with clear sellotape to establish if the house is being accessed.
“Two houses were found to have this tape on my street recently in North Strand. This is deeply concerning for residents.”
Locals claim the same trick has also been adopted by squatters looking for vacant homes to take over.
They have now asked for additional patrols of the area with police looking into the matter seriously.
Residents have been advised to remove any tape they see immediately to prevent making themselves targets.
Dublin City Councillor Ciaran Cuffe confirmed reports of similar incidents over the past months.
He said: "It can be a way of determining whether a building is in use.
"I could see it being used for sinister uses like burglary, or there may be other reasons."
The councillor added there were a number of vacant properties in his constituency but noted that this was the case “for the right reasons”, including people away on holidays or a recent death.
MOST READ IN NEWS
The rise of the sellotape trick is the latest in a string of concerns for Irish homeowners.
Last year residents noticed odd road marking appearing on footpaths in the Ballybrack and Shankill areas of Dublin.
It is believed these were also used by burglars to target homes as they had not been installed by the local council.
Elsewhere, similar markings were popping up in Clonaslee, County Laois, after farmers homes began being targeted with stone mounds and markings alerting burglars to “valuable properties.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.