BURGLARIES increased last year in some parts of the State by three times the national average, new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.
The increase in burglary rates has led to fears that property-related crime is increasing because of the recession.
The new crime data shows that while south Dublin remains the burglary black spot of the Republic, the biggest increase in the crime occurred last year in the Cavan-Monaghan Garda division, up 26 per cent compared to 2008.
However, Dublin city also recorded worrying increases in 2009 compared with 2008.
The burglary rate across the city increased by 15 per cent, substantially more than the national average of 8.6 per cent. Three of the six Garda divisions in Dublin recorded increases of 20 per cent or more.
Dublin’s northern Garda division, which takes in the north of the capital outside the north inner city, saw burglaries increase by 24 per cent last year.
In west Dublin, the crime rose by 21 per cent. It was up by 20 per cent 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 14 per cent and, in the city’s north central division, it increased by 6 per cent. The Dublin south central division witnessed 1,592 break-ins, which was no change on 2008.
The Dublin northern division, with 2,255 cases, and southern divisions, with 2,308 cases, were the only two Garda divisions in the State where the number of break- ins exceeded 2,000 cases last year.
After the Cavan-Monaghan division – with an increase of 26 per cent to 461 cases – the biggest percentage increase was recorded in Donegal, up 23 per cent to 520 cases. The Roscommon-Longford division recorded the next biggest rise, up 22 per cent to 536 cases.
The Dublin western division was next, recording an increase of 21 per cent, to 1,807 cases. The Kilkenny-Carlow Garda division also saw burglaries increase by 21 per cent, up to 1,044 cases.
Of the 26 Garda divisions across the State, six recorded a decrease in burglaries last year. They were: Clare, down 21 per cent to 412 cases; Sligo-Leitrim, down 2 per cent to 358; Louth, down 11 per cent to 881; Cork west, down 7 per cent to 284; Meath, down 2 per cent to 852; and Westmeath, down 15 per cent to 492.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern have both recently expressed concern at the rise in burglaries.
