Crime figures have fallen in the past year

THE majority of major criminal offences in County Wicklow have fallen in the past year, as outlined by Superintendent Paul Hogan at the Joint Policing Committee meeting held in Roundwood Parish Hall on Wednesday night.

Countywide there were 12 robberies in 2015 compared to 7 this year.

Four-hundred-and-seventy-two burglaries have taken place this year; 688 the year before. Cases involving theft from a person remain similar, 22 in 2015, 20 so far this year. Theft from shops have dropped from 422 to 391 and the theft from vehicles from 535 to 444.

Other thefts have also dropped from 428 to 303. Possession of drugs cases have fallen from 383 to 359 and possession of drugs for sale from 71 to 43.

Public order offences are down from 343 to 244. Minor assaults are on the rise, from 203 in 2015 to 208 this year, and more serious assaults are nearly level, from 48 to 42.

Criminal damage cases dropped from 502 to 346, while drink driving cases are on the increase from 128 to 134.

The number of cars seized on the roads has also increased from 454 to 618, but Superintendent Hogan advised that this was due to a number of Garda operations in place to target criminal gangs travelling to locations in Wicklow to carry out offences.

‘We see that particular rise as a good thing. We have our own homogeneous criminals as well, but others are coming down from Dublin. Sometimes they are actually back in Dublin before a crime has even been reported.

‘We have a number of initiatives in place to try and stop these criminals and have had some good results, which has ended with vehicles being seized.’

The figures for drunken driving are also on the rise, mainly due to motorists being caught driving the next morning when they are still over-the-limit.

‘ There is an increase in people getting caught in the morning having been at a wedding or a party the night before. The next morning they are still over the limit. They are not only putting their own lives in danger, they are also putting the lives of you, me and every other road user in danger. Use your influence among your family to ask members not to use their mobile phones behind the wheel of their vehicle, get a hands free set fitted at least, not to speed, not to drink and drive and to wear a seat belt.’

A breakdown of offences which have taken place in Rounwdood and Rathdrum was also provided at the meeting. No robberies have taken place within those areas this year, compared to one last year. Burglaries also dropped from 45 to 30.

Superintendent Hogan also explained how he can revoke or refuse fire arm certificates.

‘It’s an issue that comes up from time to time. I just refused a guy a fire-arms certificate a few months ago because he was involved in an assault case against another person. The case hasn’t come before the courts yet but I was still entitled to refuse a licence,’ he said.

Supt Hogan added that if someone escapes a court conviction on a technicality, he can still refuse or revoke a certificate. He also stressed that someone facing serious traffic offences could also end up with a request for a certificate refused or revoked.

‘If you can’t be trusted to drive a car carefully and within the limit, then why should I trust you as being fit to own a fire-arm?’

From the start of January to the end of September only one fatal collision took place in Wicklow, compared to eight over the whole of 2015. Material damage was caused to vehicles in 708 collisions last year and 617 so far in 2016. Ninety-seven non-serious injuries due to collisions were recorded in 2015 and 83 this year. There have already been eleven serious injuries this year compared to only seven last year.

Within the areas of Roundwood and Rathdrum, 67 cases involved material damage in 2015, with 62 cases already reported this year. Non serious injuries have fallen from eleven to five but serious injuries rose from none to three.

Twenty-six dog ownership offences have occurred so far in 2016 and 15 of those cases involved dogs attacking sheep or livestock. Poaching also remains a problem but members of the public often fail to report incidents they become aware of.

‘We hear about lots of shots being fired at night and people being afraid to come out of their homes at night because people are driving up and down the road shooting at anything that moves, but we don’t actually receive many reports. If someone hears gunshots at night or are aware of poaching taking place then they should contact their nearest Garda Station and report it.’