Gardaí to target burglars to counter expected glut of break-ins this winter

HIGH-VISIBILITY Garda patrols will be put into areas which are identified as “burglary hot spots” to combat a surge in robberies during the winter months.

Gardaí are to target burglars trying to exploit the reduced hours of daylight under Operation Thor which will run until March next year.

Figures from its analysis services show that residential burglaries increase between the hours of 5pm and 10pm during winter, with an average of one in five intruders entering through an unsecured door or window.

Homes that look unoccupied are more vulnerable to burglary, its statistics show.

The most likely entry point for a burglary is a door with 27pc taking place through the front and 25pc through the rear door. Access through a rear window accounts for 28pc of burglaries.

Cash and jewellery tend to be targeted by robbers breaking into homes. It is the fifth year of the implementation of the winter phase of Operation Thor. The operational plan involves the undertaking of targeted enforcement and preventative activity.

International evidence has established that a surge in burglaries of about 20pc is likely to arise in the winter months when daylight hours are at the lowest level, gardaí said.

Speaking at a national implementation meeting yesterday, Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll, of special crime operations, said: “Considerable success has been achieved in tackling residential burglaries in the course of Operation Thor.

“However, every burglary results in at least one additional victim.”

For this reason, gardaí are determined, through launching the winter phase of Operation Thor, to further reduce the number of burglaries throughout the country, he said.

The year-on-year reduction was almost 10pc from 6,613 residential burglaries during winter 2017-2018 to 5,997 during winter 2018-2019.

Targeted crime prevention advice will be given to local communities and bail conditions of prolific offenders will be closely monitored. Programmes will be put in place to help reduce reoffending by prolific offenders, as part of the measures being implemented.

Some 75pc of burglaries are carried out by 25pc of offenders, according to Garda statistics. Gardaí will use social media to advise people on how they can enhance their home security.

Surge in burglaries of about 20pc is likely to arise in winter