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‘Worrying’ rise in burglaries as murders fall

The number of murders and manslaughters fell by almost a quarter last year but there was a worrying rise in burglaries and fraud.

Several serious categories of crime were down, including sexual offences, public order, drug crime, and gun crime.

However, burglaries and white-collar crimes such as fraud rose, according to CSO figures published yesterday.

A total of 253,813 crimes were recorded in the year to March, down 7.2% over the same period last year, when 273,616 were committed.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter welcomed the figures, saying the overall reduction “reflects well on Garda measures to prevent and combat crime”.

“Notwithstanding the many pressures faced, the commissioner and his officers are clearly using their resources to good effect.”

A total of 65 murders were recorded in the year to March, down from 86 in the previous 12-month period, while the number of sexual offences fell 12.4% from 2,266 to 1,984.

Mr Shatter said the increase in burglaries was a “cause of great concern” to him. Burglary and related offences rose by 10.9%, while fraud, and deception and related offences rose by 3.5%. Pickpocket crimes, classed as theft from a person, rose by over 30%.

All other types of crime showed a fall in offences reported to gardaí.

Notable decreases were seen in homicides, which fell by 24.4%, the biggest fall in any crime category, kidnapping which was down 21.9%, while crimes involving weapons and explosives were down 18.7%.

Dangerous or negligent acts, which includes drink-driving, dangerous driving, and child cruelty, were down 16.9%, and public order offences decreased by 14.7%. Offences involving driving or being in charge of a vehicle while over the legal alcohol limit were down from 10,394 to 8,788, a fall of 15.5%.

Assaults and drug-related crimes were also down. Attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harassment, and related offences fell by 8.7% .

Sexual offences showed a fall of 12%, from 2,266 to 1,984, but the CSO cautioned against reading too much into these figures, saying that the statistics for sexual offences in 2011 included a number of older allegations and “cold case” reviews being conducted by the gardaí.

Crimes list

* Homicide offences down 24.4%

* Sexual offences down 12.4%

* Attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harassments, and related offences down 8.7%

* Dangerous or negligent acts down 16.9%

* Kidnapping and related offences down 21.9%

* Robbery, extortion, hijacking down 8.2%

* Burglary and related offences up 10.9%

* Theft and related offences down 2.4%

* Fraud, deception, and related offences up 3.5%

* Weapons and explosives offences fell 18.7% Home

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