Heartless thieves were yesterday branded “evil” after they robbed a
grieving family just two days after burying their 14-year-old son.
Members
of Micheál ‘Haulie’ Murphy’s family were mourning at his graveside in
the village of Glanworth, Co Cork, when thieves broke into their parked
car.
The thieves stole a handbag containing cash and personal items.
The schoolboy, buried on Monday, died after he fell from a tractor on the Glenville-Killavullen road last Friday.
Fr Michael Corkery, who officiated at the Requiem Mass, yesterday said the “absolutely heinous act” had shocked every decent person living in the village.
He said robberies from vehicles parked outside graveyards had become more prevalent around the countryside in recent years, but it was particularly sad that the Murphy family had been targeted so soon after Micheál’s tragic death.
“It’s evil-minded people that do this. It’s completely inhuman to inflict further pain on people who are grieving,” Fr Corkery said.
He called on the thieves to repent and return the stolen items to the family, if necessary, by leaving them in a church.
Fr Corkery said he would be visiting the family to offer his support.
Glanworth-based county councillor Frank O’Flynn described the theft as “despicable.”
“How could somebody do that to a family who only buried their son a couple of days ago?” he said. “It is the lowest of the low and I hope the culprit or culprits are caught and brought to justice quickly.
“Local people are very shocked. Glanworth is normally a very law-abiding village and I’d appeal to anybody who knows who did this to immediately inform the gardaí,” the Fianna Fáil councillor said.
Gardaí have confirmed that the incident occurred on Wednesday between 7.20pm and 8.05pm at St Dominic’s New Cemetery in the village.
“We want to talk to anybody who saw any suspicious activity in the area around that time,” a garda spokesman said.
“The driver’s side window of the blue Volkswagen Passat had been smashed. A handbag had been taken which contained some cash and personal items.”
* Anyone with information is asked to contact Fermoy Garda Station at 025 82100.