Making Crime Prevention Pay!
- Veronica Corr -
“The four Ds of crime prevention are Deter, Detect, Delay and Deny… Criminals are not geniuses like Lex Luthor from Superman with a masterplan. They're just looking for that quick opportunity – ‘Can I get in? What can I grab? and How quickly?’ If you can eliminate that from your property and your car, then your chances of being a victim drop dramatically,” Sergeant Joe Glackin said, using vivid imagery to illustrate his point.
Thus began this reporter’s masterclass from An Garda Síochána’s Crime Prevention Officer (CPO) with responsibility for Cavan and Monaghan.
Before joining the guards at the age of 26, he worked in Information Technology (IT) internationally. His former career is still informing the work he does today.
Sgt Glackin said he joined the Gardaí primarily because of the vast range of careers: “I didn't want to do just the one job for the rest of my life.”
He has two younger brothers, one of which is also a garda and the youngest is a journalist. A Dubliner, Sgt Glackin started his career in Finglas.
Having been fully attested for 22 years, he still derives great satisfaction from his job and would recommend it to anyone considering a career in the force.
In his current role, Sgt Glackin is on the road all the time, travelling across counties Cavan and Monaghan, meeting all types of people.
A VARIED ROLE
The senior guard applied for the CPO position when it was advertised and emerged the successful candidate in March 2025. He is part of the National Crime Prevention Unit.
“A lot of my time is spent educating people. I do a lot of talks trying to promote education in relation to crime prevention - what can you do to make yourself, your person, your property, your car safer? I would say crime prevention is common sense,” he commented.
Sgt Glackin is happy to give a presentation to any community group or organisation and is open to invitations.
The senior garda observed that people think: ‘That’ll never happen to me,’ but when it does, they get annoyed at themselves for not installing a house alarm or failing to lock their car. These habits can leave someone open to becoming a victim of crime.
The CPO advises householders and businesses to review and apply ‘10 Principles of Crime Prevention’ in order to protect themselves, their property, and possessions.
Sgt Glackin works on an appointment basis, but some matters are urgent: “I deal with people who are victims of drug-related intimidation, or those who have come under threat for whatever reason. They get priority. You need to get out to them and advise as soon as possible, because their property and their person is at risk.
“My early years spent in Dublin gave me a huge amount of experience in dealing with a very motivated criminal element, along with some very unfortunate circumstances. I'm able to use that experience and knowledge in this current role.”
MONEY MULING
Cavan and Monaghan are not unique in the types of crime that happen here. Crime is national and even universal. One crime with an international element is money muling. The CPO delivers talks in schools on this very subject. He advises: “When something is free, you are the product.”
Sgt Glackin explained: “It tends to be younger people who are not so savvy and are in a bit of financial difficulty. A money mule is somebody who allows their bank account to be used essentially for laundering, and there’s a penalty for it.”
He used the example of a fictitious company which wants to break into the Irish market. Having clicked an ad online, a student receives an email asking them to be their local representative, a go-between.
“About a week into that relationship, they'll get a call from their contact that will say: ‘We're after getting offered a government contract, but we don't have an Irish bank account yet. They will only pay into an Irish bank account. Have you got a bank account that we can use just for the transfer of money temporarily? We'll give you a cut of whatever comes through’,” Sgt Glackin explained.
The young person, he continued, doesn’t see any problem with that. Then the money transfers to their account while some little old lady in Kerry is drained of her life savings.
Almost €9.4M was laundered through money mule accounts in the 12 months from June 2024-’25. The amounts moved through these accounts vary, typically ranging between €5,000 and €10,000 per case.
Money muling is considered a form of money laundering under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. If caught, individuals can face up to 14 years in prison, along with potential fines and community service.
Sgt Glackin made the point that a young person who is naïve could find themselves with a criminal conviction that will follow them around for the rest of their lives. It will come up every time they are Garda vetted, prevent them from travelling to the USA and damage their employment prospects.
He highlighted how an Irish judge recently said that he would not accept young people using “stupidity as a shield” when it came to money laundering.
BURGLARIES AT A 10-YEAR LOW
The discussion turned to burglaries and there was good news on this front: “In the last 10 years we had Operation Thor. It ramps up in the winter phase over the darker months. Over the course of the last 10 years the statistics on burglary dropped 75%. (2015-2025).
“That's down to education from the likes of myself, seeing ads on the television and infographics on Facebook. It's also down to the improvements in technology.
People are putting alarms in. Statistically you're down to less than one burglary per county per day across the whole country.”
SCAMMERS
“Fraud has gone up. It's all electronic, coming through your phone or laptop. It’s a generational thing; older people didn't grow up with the technology. It’s simple when you know how, but being afraid to learn how, is what's causing the difficulty. The internet is vast and wonderful if you use it right. You will become a victim of something because you're just not savvy. Crime prevention is everybody's responsibility. It’s not just down to the guards,” Sgt Glackin stated.
He advised people not to follow links to ads and to always type the website they are looking for directly into the search bar. This will save you from falling victim to clone websites that look genuine. Don’t respond to unsolicited texts and never send money. If in doubt, you can search web addresses at: www.scamchecker.ie
Scammers are relying on people just glancing at their devices and clicking accept because they are in a hurry. He observed that a lot of heartache, money and inconvenience can be saved if people just take a moment to stop and think. He warned people not to pay for things over public Wi-Fi. When making financial transactions online look out for the padlock icon which means the transaction is secure.
Romance swindles are on the rise too. Someone from abroad strikes up an online friendship with a lonely heart and then the financial demands start coming. If there is a quiet period, then a hard luck story will follow, banking on the kind-heartedness of the individual they are talking to. As long as the money keeps flowing, they will keep talking.
Sgt Glackin works alongside banks and delivers presentations to their customers. He advises that, if someone thinks that they are a victim of fraud, then they should contact their bank, which can hopefully stop and trace the transaction, before calling the Gardaí, who will investigate the matter.
Statistics on investment fraud show that 42% of victims are between 41-60 years; 34% are over 60 years; 76% are 40 or older. “The advice in terms of investment is always using a regulated financial service. Do a bit of research and seek proper financial advice."
LOCK YOUR DOORS!
“In Ireland, we think we shouldn't be locking our doors. It's not the 1800s anymore. Lock your door! Of the burglaries that are still occurring, 43% are accessing from the back and 42% from the front of the house. And of that, 85%, quarter of it is unsecured doors. That's just somebody coming up, pushing the handle, and walking into your house! How simple is that to change?” the CPO asked rhetorically.
He advised people to follow both An Garda Síochána Cavan/Monaghan and their national Facebook page because it contains a wealth of regularly updated information on scams and other matters of public interest such as property marking events. “There has been a huge reduction in pretty much every crime. I won't say all crimes, but there's been a good reduction in all of it.”
Sgt Glackin has beefed up his own home security since taking on the role of CPO. He advised people who install security systems to ensure that they are still online after Wi-Fi password changes. Cameras should be kept clean and free from spiders and their webs. Householders and businesses should check out psa-gov.ie for more information. All installers should be PSA approved, he added.
The CPO warned people to be vigilant of bogus callers and rogue traders, observing that since Cavan and Monaghan were border counties, it was very difficult to catch those engaging in such activities because they can retreat across an international border.
PERSONAL SAFETY
From a personal safety standpoint, Sgt Glackin advised Celt readers that they can adjust the setting on their phones to initiate an emergency call if they hit the power button rapidly five times, whether that emergency call is to 999 / 112 or whether it's to your partner, it can automatically send out a message. Settings can also be adjusted to your GPS coordinates.
The Crime Prevention Officer concluded by asking people to save their next of kin’s name prefixed by ICE (in case of emergency), because that’s what the emergency services will search for in your phone if you are unresponsive.
10 Principles of Crime Prevention
Target Hardening: Make it more difficult for criminals to commit a crime.
Target Removal: Remove the target of the crime, such as valuables.
Remove Means to Commit Crime: Reduce the tools or methods available for committing crimes.
Reduce the Payoff: Decrease the potential rewards for committing a crime.
Access Control: Limit access to potential crime targets.
Increase Surveillance: Enhance monitoring through natural, passive, or formal means.
Environmental Design: Modify the physical environment to reduce crime opportunities.
Community Involvement: Encourage community participation in crime prevention efforts.
Awareness and Education: Inform the public about crime prevention strategies.
Partnerships: Collaborate with local organisations and law enforcement to enhance safety.