One burglary a day in upmarket suburb
ON ALERT: Families told to stay vigilant as break-ins rise |
GARDAI are dealing with one burglary every day in a North Dublin suburb as the level of attacks on homes increases to worrying levels.
Figures released to the Herald Newspaper show that there were 30 burglaries reported to Clontarf Garda Station in May -- a 40pc increase on the burglary level from April.
Last year saw a 24pc rise in the number of burglaries in the North Dublin region and this trend has continued.
A spokesperson said that the issue of burglaries was a 'constant' which they were trying their best to tackle.
Significant
"There has been a significant amount of burglaries in the area during the month of May," he said.
"There were 18 reported burglaries in April compared with 30 in May and March.
"It's an ongoing problem and has been for some time and these kinds of incidents are commonplace in urban areas, there hasn't been a significant upsurge in cases but we're trying our best to limit them."
Local councillor Aodhan O Riordain told the Herald that he had received numerous complaints about burglaries in the area in recent times
"I received a number of complaints of burglaries in the Elm Mount area in Beaumont, Artane and Donnycarney and figures released to me showed that there had been 13 reported burglaries in the two months prior to May 13 in those areas alone," he said.
"Figures showing that there has been a burglary a day in Clontarf in May would not surprise me. The problem is worrying and people have to be vigilant.
"These crimes can happen day or night, whether the house is occupied or not."
In 2009, the burglary rate across Dublin city increased by 15pc, substantially more than the national average of 8.6pc. Three of the six Garda divisions in Dublin recorded increases of 20pc or more.
Dublin's northern Garda division, in which Clontarf Garda Station is contained and which takes in the north of the capital outside the city, saw burglaries increase by 24 pc last year.
In west Dublin, the crime rose by 21pc. It was up by 20pc in the Garda southern divisions, which at 2,308 had the highest number of break-ins of any Garda division last year.
In the Dublin eastern division, the burglary rate was up by 14pc and, in the city's north central division, it increased by 6pc.
The Dublin south central division witnessed 1,592 break-ins, which was no significant change on 2008.
The Dublin northern division, with 2,255 cases, and southern division, with 2,308 cases, were the two Garda divisions in the State where the number of break-ins exceeded 2,000 cases last year.
The figures released by the eircom Phonewatch Burglary Report showed that 80pc of all robberies take place while the occupants of the house are at home.
The figures also show that homes are most likely to be burgled on Sundays between the hours of noon and 4pm.
The burglars are most likely to make their entrance into the house through the front door with 20pc of all burglaries occurring in this way.
- Cormac Byrne |
