A council had to get gardaí to call to the home of a man who was pretending to be a dog warden and handing out €20 fines to members of the public.
The rogue warden was pretending to be an official from South Dublin County Council and was defrauding owners who were letting their dogs off their leash in a public park.
Emails from the council reveal how the fraudster was eventually spotted by a member of staff while attempting his scam in Tymon Park, near Tallaght.
One message said: “I have been informed that the park ranger came across the fake dog warden operating this morning.
“The fake warden ran off. The park ranger got a partial reg [licence plate] and has passed this information to An Garda Síochána.”
A later message said the council had been able to track down the full plate for the car and that an investigation was underway.
Gardaí from Terenure visited the man’s address and “warned him to stay away from the park or he could be up for impersonating a public official,” a subsequent email said.
“As the gardaí didn’t receive an official complaint about money changing hands, they could not pursue on those grounds,” it added.
Patrols
In internal discussions last September, the council said the public need to be made aware of how the system for dog-related fines works.
“There are no on the spot fines,” one email said.
“We have contacted An Garda Síochána, who will carry out patrols of the park. Members of the public should report any unusual activity.”
The council also issued a public advisory stating its staff would always carry official identification, and would most likely be travelling in an official vehicle.
“Do not hand over any money to this man, and if you are approached by him, do seek help from other park users and report the incident to the Gardaí,” the council warned.
However, on-the-spot fines of up to €100 can apply for “non-muzzling, non-leashing” or leaving a person under the age of 16 in charge of specific breeds deemed potentially dangerous, including pit bulls, German shepherds, and staffies.
