investigating phone thefts

Gardaí in Athlone have appealed for witnesses to two separate incidents in the town on Sunday last, in which teenagers were wrestled to the ground and robbed of their mobile phones.

The first incident occurred between 9.30 pm and 10 pm in the Strand area when two men approached a single male from behind, dragging him to the ground before making off with his phone. The victim received medical treatment for cuts and bruises following the incident.

Later on Sunday evening, at around 10.30 pm, a male teenager was attacked from behind by a single male near the Glen Abhainn student village complex on the Dublin Road. He too was wrestled to the ground before the assailant made off with his mobile phone.

There have been no arrests made in either case, but Gardaí have issued an appeal for anyone who was in the Strand or Glen Abhainn areas between the hours of 9 pm and 11 pm and noticed anything unusual to contact them at Athlone Garda Station on 090-6492600.