Gardaí warn of rise in bogus tradesmen calling to homes

The warning comes as homeowners are advised to protect themselves and their homes during the winter months

One in five burglars gained entry through an unsecured window or door, so it is important to check that all possible entryways to the property are secure.

Gardaí are warning people to be aware of conmen calling to homes, pretending that work needs to be done or impersonating gardaí.

According to the latest figures, incidents of bogus tradesmen are up by 15% in 2022.

There has also been an increase in the number of incidents involving people impersonating members of An Garda Síochána.

Incidents of this kind have involved conmen requesting to check cash held by the injured party due to an apparent increase in counterfeit cash circulating in the area.

Other incidents involved individuals saying they need to check the security of the house due to an increase in burglaries in the area.

An Garda Síochána stressed that its members will not cold call to a house and request to do either of these things.

Any Garda member calling to a home will have identification and should a person have concerns about a person at the door they should not open the door even if the person is purporting to be a garda.

Genuine gardaí will always provide details to allow the person to confirm their ID with the local Garda station and will be patient while this check is being carried out.

The warning today comes as homeowners are being advised to protect themselves and their homes during the winter months.

A third of break-ins involve the burglar gaining entry through the front door with 'body pressure' being the number one method used to get in.

However, there is also an increase in the number of burglars accessing the home through the rear entrance.

One in five burglars gained entry through an unsecured window or door, so it is important to check that all possible entryways to the property are secure.

Almost half of winter break-ins occur between 5pm and 11pm so people are advised to 'lock up and light up' during the longer, darker evenings.

The most common items stolen from homes are computers, phones, TVs, and games consoles.

The practice of 'fishing', where car keys are fished through a letterbox, also remains a problem, with the Dublin region most at risk of this.

"Locking up and lighting up over the coming months could be the difference between making your home safe and making it vulnerable. It's as simple as that," said Sergeant Graham Kavanagh of the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit.

Gardaí recommend these simple steps, whether you're at home or going out, to protect your home:

• Turn on some lights, LED bulbs are more energy efficient than traditional bulbs;
• Use timer switches/motion detectors/smart lights to turn on lights via your phone. Use motion detector/sensor lights outside, make sure they cover the door and not just the area near the door;
• Lock all doors and windows as part of your regular routine;
• Use an alarm, get it serviced and ensure the battery pack is working; 
• Store keys away from windows; 
• Don’t keep large amounts of cash or jewellery in the house. Based on an analysis of burglaries from January to October 2022, jewellery and cash remain the most common objects stolen.