€69m haul — burglaries rise by 26%
In the 12-month period up to June last, burglaries increased by 26% nationally. Over one-third occurred in Dublin.
The haul of stolen goods from residential properties in that period totalled €69 million — a 17% increase on the previous year.
Burglaries outside Dublin also rose by 35%.
The research, in the Eircom PhoneWatch annual report, shockingly showed 70% of break-ins occurred while people were at home, compared with a corresponding 50% figure two years ago.
The survey also found the most likely time for home raids to be between midnight and 4am. Nearly one-in-three occur during that period.
The PhoneWatch alarm company claimed many people were not adequately securing their property while present in the house.
The report showed two-thirds of homes burgled had no alarm system.
On average, the value of goods stolen from homes was just under €4,000.
Burglaries in Dublin increased by 12%, with the city accounting for 35% of all burglaries. When the Dublin figures are combined with its surrounding commuter belt — Wicklow, Kildare, Meath and Louth — the figure climbed to 58%.
The most burglaries outside Dublin and its surrounding counties occurred in Wicklow — 9.93%.
Others included Kildare (9.79%), Limerick city and county (8.94%), Cork city and county (7.80%) and Louth (7.7%).
Eircom PhoneWatch chief executive Nick Quigley said: “The dramatic increase in burglaries nationwide is a matter of concern.
“In most cases, the act of burglary is opportunistic and householders should know that there are certain measures they can take that will increase the level of security in their home.”
He added that it is essential for people to become more security conscious while present in the house.
The Eircom PhoneWatch Report was conducted by the OSG Group, based on a sample of more than 10,747 household insurance claims in the 12 months between June 2005 and June 2006.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said: “Following an increase in the number of burglaries in 2005, the Tánaiste Mr [Michael] McDowell requested the Garda Commissioner to assess the causes of the rise and to take action to tackle the problem. Operation Anvil was subsequently extended nationwide and the gardaí have experienced some notable successes in targeting criminal gangs who commit burglaries.
“The Tánaiste is pleased to note that the most recent crime statistics for the third quarter of 2006 published by the CSO show a decrease of 11% in the number of burglaries.”
