Rate of burglaries falls by 46% post-covid as garda operation continues
In Gangs Is And Pa And Organised Target Operation Picture: Thor Repeat To Crime Offenders Began Designed 2015
The rate of burglaries has fallen by 46% since pre-covid levels, with the garda Operation Thor seeing 957 arrests made in the winter of 2022 for the crime.
Operation Thor involves actively targeting organised crime gangs and repeat offenders, through co-ordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends.
It began in 2015, and the 'winter phase' of the operation runs each year from October 1 to March 31 of the following year.
In 2022/23, there was a 2.8% decrease in residential burglaries during the winter phase' (2,988 residential burglaries) compared to the summer phase of 2022 (3,067 residential burglaries)
This is the first recorded reduction in burglaries during a winter Phase compared to a summer Phase.
A garda spokesman explained: "This trend reverses traditional crime statistics which suggested a seasonal trend in a surge in burglaries during winter months when daylight hours are at the lowest level."
When comparing year-on-year stats, there was a 21.6% decrease from 2022/23 (2,988 residential burglaries) compared to winter phase 2021/ 2022 (3,804 residential burglaries.)
During the winter phase of Operation Thor 2022/ 2023 there were:
- 957 arrests
- 1,440 charges
- 1,279 searches
- 22,655 checkpoints
- 133,531 patrols
In the 12 months to March 2023, there was a 7% decrease in reported residential burglary compared with the previous 12 months.
In contrast to previous years, a small but significant decrease in residential burglaries was observed this winter 2022/ 2023.
Overall, reported burglary in the 12 months to March 2023 was 46% lower than pre-pandemic levels (equivalent period in 2018/2019.
Commenting on these provisional crime statistics Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, Organised and Serious Crime, stated, "For the first time provisional crime statistics are indicating that there were less residential burglaries during the Winter Phase of Operation Thor 2022/ 2023 than in the immediately preceding summer phase.
"Compared to when Operation Thor commenced in 2015, when over 12,000 burglaries were recorded, a 75% reduction in burglaries is a major development in keeping people safe and ensuring that citizens feel safe in their own homes.
"An Garda Síochána remains committed to working with individuals and communities both rural and urban to targeting those involved in burglary and related crime types, particularly those who may attempt to use the motorway network to benefit their criminal activities.”