Firewood thieves in Cromwell are repeatedly stealing from the elderly and families with small children, Cromwell police say.
''Often, the firewood is taken from people on a strict budget and it's a big deal for them to get set for winter. They go to that effort and then someone nicks the wood from them,'' Sergeant Simon Paget, of Cromwell said.
The offending was happening frequently in the area east of Barry Ave including Antrim and Monaghan Sts, as if the thieves were ''helping themselves to a few weeks of firewood and then coming back for more once it's run out'', he said.
Police were patrolling areas but residents could help by alerting them to any suspicious activity immediately.
''If you see someone walking down the street, looking like Santa with a sack of firewood on their back, and maybe carrying an armful of firewood, call us straight away,'' Sgt Paget said.
''The victims are generally elderly people or families with small children, who are simply trying to stay warm.''
Recent thefts included 10 bags of pine cones taken from an Ortive St home and 2m of pine firewood from a Carlow Pl home.
