ALMOST ONE THIRD of burglaries happen when burglars come through your front door, according to new figures from An Garda Síochána.
The new stats also show that, at this time of year, almost half of burglaries happen between 5pm and 11pm.
Gardaí have conducted an analysis of reported burglaries between July 2015 to June 2016 to paint a picture for homeowners and help fight theft.
Among the details they looked at, gardaí broke down the most popular entry point for burglars:
The most common items stolen by burglars are jewellery and cash with an average of €600 taken by burglars during a robbery. Computers, mobile phones, TVs and games consoles are also targeted.
Gardaí are also making a specific plea for homeowners to be aware of ‘fishing’ burglaries, where burglars fish car keys through letterboxes.
This practice has occurred 163 times in the one year period with 75% of incidents happening in Dublin.
The garda figures have been released as part of a new campaign that urges homeowners to be extra vigilant in the dark winter months.
Sergeant Kelvin Courtney of the National Crime Prevention Unit points out that burglaries rise at this time of year.
“As the days get shorter I would urge homeowners to make sure their home looks occupied,” he said.
Use timer switches to turn on lights, lock all doors and windows, store keys away from windows and letterboxes, and use your alarm. Taking these simple steps will lessen a home’s vulnerability, deter burglars and protect homes.
Gardaí say that the burglary stats have been collated as part of Operation Thor, the force’s specific effort to fight crime against homeowners.
An Garda Síochána says that Operation Thor has resulted in burglaries being down by about 28% in the first half of 2016.
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