Assaults and theft from cars up but public order improves

THE latest Garda Crime figures for Kerry offer a mixed but generally positive picture.

Presented by Kerry Chief Superintendent Eileen Foster at last week’s Kerry Joint Policing Committee meeting the figures cover the first three quarters of the year.

While there was a marked increase in come categories of crime the majority remained largely statics or fell slightly.

One of the biggest increases came in the form of thefts from vehicles. There have been 95 such incidents this year and increase of 28 per cent on the 2018 figures.

Chief Supt Foster said that in many of these cases the vehicles had been left open by their owners and valuables had been left in the open.

She reiterated the Gardaí’s oft repeated warning for motorists to lock their cars and look after valuables like bags, wallets, phones and electronics.

Another increase came in the minor assault category which increased from 280 to 367 a jump of 31 per cent.

While minor assaults – typically classed as non serious attacks including pushing and spitting which don’t cause any injury – soared moire serious attacks fell. The number of assaults causing harm in the county dropped by 15 per cent from 119 in the first nine months of 2018 to 101 in the same period this year.

While minor assaults were up general public order offences were down slightly falling by three per cent to 569. Public drunkenness was down by the same percentage with 463 incidents recorded.

Chief Supt Eileen Foster said that 2019 has, to date, been “a good year in Kerry”.

She added that the figures for crime across most categories in Kerry – including the jump in minor assaults and drug possession cases (see above) – were “reflective of the country as a whole.”