For a lot of people who use public transport regularly, a particular skill is developed and refined over time, consciously or subconsciously: the skill of avoiding eye contact.
It’s a skill that comes in useful from time to time, particularly if you see somebody behaving a little oddly. Arguing with their other half, for example. Or fidgeting with themselves in a disconcerting way.
Or taking out a belt of bullets out of their backpack, in full view of the entire tram.
You know, the kind of thing that happens of an evening, when you are on the way home.
“Last night on the red line LUAS heading towards Tallaght … He had a backpack and when he sat down across from me, he started taking out a brown metal box, like something you would see in a museum. Then, he opened it and I saw bags and stuff. And I thought, oh, God, drugs. Then, all of a sudden, out comes this chain of bullets.”
That was the story from Jacqui Roche, recalling a recent trip out of town on the red line LUAS at about 10:45 PM. And as you can see from the picture above, the bullets in question are pretty ominous looking.
“I was looking at them going, well, the gun that fits that size, he definitely doesn’t have a gun on him.”
That was something of a relief, as the bullets were clearly designed to be fed into a high-calibre machine gun. The man in question got off at Heuston Station. But at the Jervis Street stop, he had asked Jacqui for change, saying that he was going to Newbridge.
While he was on the tram, Jacqui managed to get a short video from her mobile phone of the belt of bullets. Another girl, who got off at Fatima Luas stop, also managed to snap a couple of pictures, according to Jacqui.
Although the man in question wasn’t threatening in any way, Jacqui feels the episode is worthy of further investigation. So, if you do have any information, the Luas Customer Care Centre can be reached on LoCall 1850 300 604, or, if you it feel necessary, you can contact the Gardai directly.
To listen to the full story, click here.