Gardai warn residents – prepare for rise in crime

RESIDENTS have been warned to prepare for a possible spike in burglaries, as more people head back to work in the office.

Senior gardai in the local policing districts warn that large numbers of people returning to work will not go unnoticed by burglars.

In general, burglary statistics have decreased over the last 19 months, due in part, to people been forced to spend a lot more time at home.

The beginning of the darker days of winter is also notoriously a time of the year when burglars use the cover of darkness, to break into home.

Speaking at the Policing Meeting on Friday, Lucan Superintendent Paul Dolan said he will be putting a burglary unit back into operation to mitigate a potential spike in burglaries.

“What we have noticed is when certain people are in (prison), burglaries go down. It is a case of management when they are released, we will use any bit of law that we can,” said Supt Dolan.

“My intention is I will be putting back in a burglary unit, targeting individuals pro-actively. It has produced good results in the past.”

Tallaght Central Cllr Cathal King also noted the time leading up to Christmas as a period which sees a lot of burglaries, and expressed preference for an online awareness campaign to prepare residents for the weeks and months ahead.