A warning has been issued to Dublin residents informing them of thug gangs' 'modus operandi' for Christmas burglaries.
The urgent alert outlines exactly what the criminals do when they strike on your house, how short the operation is and what times they prefer to hit homeowners.
It comes after a spate of break-ins in the Terenure Village area over the last few days where a number of houses were targeted.
A warning text to locals there urged residents to be vigilant over the next fortnight as these incidents are only set to increase.
The text read: "The 'modus operandi' appears to be entry (gained by force if necessary), very quick ransacking, and an exit within 3 minutes.
"The perpetrators appear to be after cash primarily, and while presumably targeting what they believe are unoccupied properties, this does not seem to be an issue for them.
"The most common times are between 5pm and 7pm, but can occur at any time.
"Please be vigilant, and report any suspicious activity immediately to Gardai."
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