One of the things that traditionally follows any large-scale disaster, where normal society, is looting - or at least this is what I've been lead to believe from only ever really experiencing disasters vicariously through American news reports. The reasons people do this are typically to get their hands on much-needed supplies or opportunistically stealing high-value items for later resale.
Now, commendably, there seemed to be a distinct absence of looting yesterday after Ophelia passed by. Now this may simply have been because we aren't used to these events and don't necessarily know the protocol. Well, as with everything, there were a couple of exceptions to this. A couple of opportunists who sprung on a chance for a spot of thievery.
A couple of men in a van - perhaps the shadiest way to begin any sentence in the English language - were spotted stealing a much-beloved item in Finglas; a statue of the Virgin Mary that had been knocked from its plinth by a falling tree.
Now let's just take a moment here. A bronze statue of the Virgin Mary clutching the baby Jesus was stolen by some men in a van. Are these men religious zealots seeking to build their own shrine but they simply haven't the funds? Is it some incredibly misguided attempt at a kidnapping? I know that bronze is worth rather a lot of money so that this metallic facsimile of the mother of Christ, will most likely be melted down to be sold and turned into various medals for underage athletics competitions. But still, it seems somewhat ludicrous to, having turned to a life of crime, then only flirt with thievery of religious iconography.
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Finglas residents, understandably furious with the theft, have becried the loss of the much-loved statue from the community. Cllr McAuliffe of Finglas has pleaded for the statues return saying that whatever it may be worth to the criminals it is worth 10 times more to the community in sentimental value.
