INDEPENDENT Unionist Raymond Farrell has called on the Police Service of Northern Ireland to place more officers “on the ground” following a number of burglaries in Fermanagh and Tyrone.

He told last week’s meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council at Enniskillen Townhall that he was “very concerned” about the level of crime in the Erne North area.

“In Ballinamallard there have been a number of burglaries and attacks upon property lately. That included a local church as well as local businesses. This is creating an awful lot of anxiety around the area. There is a mixture of anger, frustration and indeed what concerns me, apathy. People are concerned about this, people are asking ‘is it safe?’. For businessmen when they lock up at night, pensioners who are living at home alone, people are worried,” he said.

He called on police officers “higher up the chain” to have “a real look at this” and added: “I feel if there was less money spent on glossy brochures and more on officers on the ground it would suit people better.” Sinn Fein’s Glenn Campbell said the feeling in his area of Dromore, County Tyrone, which has been subjected to a string of burglaries, is that “not enough is being done” by local police and he commended his local GAA club whose members have been patrolling car parks.

“It is a sad reflection that it has come to this, there really is an urgent need for the PSNI to act. We do need to see results, this is a very serious crime. It is also very serious because people are now living in fear,” he said.

Ulster Unionist Councillor Howard Thornton told the meeting how he and other representatives met recently with senior police at the headquarters of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The councillors, including Councillor Thornton, expressed concerns about policing in Fermanagh.

“The meeting was a very good meeting, very frank, and the truth about the lack of consultation was expressed. It was high powered but all they were talking about was budgets and having to withdraw services. At least we were able to retain our road policing unit in Fermanagh, there was little faith in getting more services. It was a frank meeting, but really no joy,” he said.