Value of goods stolen in burglaries up by 25%

AN ESTIMATED €86 million worth of goods were stolen from Irish homes over the past year, according to a new survey.

The annual Eircom Phonewatch burglary report also reveals that the value of goods stolen in the period June 2006-May 2007 increased by 25% over the previous 12-month period.

The number of burglaries in Dublin rose by almost 19.5%, while the number of break-ins outside the capital rose by almost 15%.

More than half of all burglaries here are committed within the greater Dublin area, which includes parts of Wicklow, Meath, Kildare and Louth. Eircom Phonewatch estimates that 36% of all burglaries take place within Dublin city and county.

The survey, which is based on a sample of more than 15,500 insurance claims, also highlighted the worrying trend that 80% of all burglaries are committed while people are at home — up from 60% in 2005. The most likely time of day to be burgled is between midnight and 4am with more than one in five of all break-ins occurring during these hours. The next most common time is the period 4pm-8pm, while the quietest time of the day is 4am-8am.

Fridays are the most popular day of the week for burglaries in contrast to Sunday, which is the least likely day. The dark, winter months remain the most active period for burglars with February replacing October as the month in which most burglaries were committed.

The most vulnerable type of residence is a detached building, which accounts for almost a third of all burglaries, while apartments are considered the property type least likely to be burgled.

Nick Quigley, the chief executive of Eircom Phonewatch, said the consistent finding of the company’s annual reports over the past seven years was that the phenomenon of burglaries was just not going away.

“The findings indicate that increasingly burglars are not put off by home occupancy and individuals are not adequately securing their property while they are in the home,” said Mr Quigley.

He added: “The truth is that many individuals do not become security conscious until after the crime has taken place by which time it is effectively too late.”

Eircom Phonewatch has estimated that the average value of goods stolen from each home during a burglary is €5,930.

The greatest increases in burglaries were reported in the western counties of Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Leitrim, while there was also a noticeable increase in burglaries in Co Laois.

Householders in Leitrim, Kilkenny, Longford and Monaghan are least likely to suffer a burglary with each county accounting for less than 1% of the national total.

The most common way for burglars to gain access to a house is at the back of the property via a rear door.

The survey’s findings are largely in line with official crime statistics which show that there were about 22,600 reported burglaries during the period.

Figures provided by the Central Statistics Office show that 32 out of every 1,000 households in the State were burgled last year. More than half of all such crimes took place while some householder was at home.

A third of all burglaries are not reported to gardaí.

Robbery by the numbers

* The number of burglaries in Dublin rose by almost 19.5% while the number of break-ins outside the capital rose by almost 15%.

* Eircom Phonewatch estimates that 36% of all burglaries take place within Dublin city and county.

* 80% of all burglaries are now committed while people are at home — up from 60% in 2005.

* The most likely time of day to be burgled is between midnight and 4am — more than one in five of all break-ins occurring during these hours.

* The next most common time for burglaries is the period 4pm-8pm, while the quietest time of the day is 4am-8am.

* Fridays are the most popular day of the week for burglaries in contrast to Sunday, which are the least likely day.

* February replaces October as the month in which most burglaries were committed.

* Kildare accounts for the most number of burglaries are Dublin with 6.4% of the overall annual total followed by Limerick (5.35%), Cork (5.28%) and Meath (5.2%).

The greatest increases in burglaries were reported in the western counties of Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Leitrim, while there was also a noticeable increase in burglaries in Co Laois.

Householders in Leitrim, Kilkenny, Longford and Monaghan are least likely to suffer a burglary with each county accounting for less than 1% of the national total.

* CSO figures show that 32 out of every 1,000 households were burgled last year.