Home heating oil was stolen from a tank at a house in Bessbrook, while the window in another property was smashed.
These two incidents at the weekend are being described in the latest in a string of anti-social behaviour in the Co Armagh village.
Local Sinn Fein Councillor Roisin Mulgrew hit out, saying: “This is totally unacceptable. There has been a significant community effort to challenge these type of activities and it is essential that efficient and effective policing matches these community efforts.
“Those engaged in these criminal and anti-social activities must be apprehended and face the full rigours of the law. Their attacks on people and their properties are deemed by most as not just attacks on individuals but on the whole community.”
Meanwhile her colleague Mickey Brady MLA, commenting after visiting the Bessbrook area last weekend, said: “The PSNI have talked about significant impacts on how policing is carried out due to budget cuts. I, like most, do understand the pressure on services due to budgets, however frontline services should not be the first hit.
“I believe the PSNI senior management should be looking where savings should be made at a higher level instead of cutting services. Cuts to community policing services and resources should not be the first port of call. There’s no doubt savings could be made in higher management.
“The view in Bessbrook and many rural locations is that policing is scarce enough. We certainly do not want people, particularly the most vulnerable, to feel further isolated. Sinn Féin remain committed to ensuring accountable, effective and efficient policing for all our communities.”
