Burglary rate up by over 26%

Kidnappings, robberies, extortions and burglaries are on the increase, latest data from the Central Statistics Office show.

According to the CSO, the figures for the third quarter of this year show that of the 14 different areas under which crimes are grouped, ten were lower for the 12 months up to the end of September 2009 than in the previous 12-month period.

There were 12 murders in the third quarter of this year, the same number as the equivalent period last year. The incidents of dangerous driving causing death fell from six to two, meaning the number of crimes grouped under the homicide category fell by 30 per cent.

Year-on-year, the number of crimes in the homicide category was 80, a decrease of 14.9 per cent over last year. That statistic masks the fact the rate of murder in actually increasing, with 59 murders over the 12-month period to the end of September compared to 53 in the same period last year. There was just one recorded case of manslaughter this year, compared to six in the year previously, and 20 cases of dangerous driving causing death as against 35 in the previous 12 months.

The number of recorded sexual offences for the third quarter of 2009 was 318, a fall of 5.6 per cent on last year. However, this category shows an annualised increase of 0.2 per cent over the previous period, with rapes up by 8.3 per cent from 349 to 378. The number of cases of sexual assault of people under the age of 17 also rose from 74 to 103 over the same period, an increase of 40.5 per cent.

Burglaries rose by 26.3 per cent in the third quarter. There were 7,047 recorded burglaries, an increase of 1,492 over same period in 2008. The number of aggravated burglaries rose from 63 to 95, an increase of 50.8 per cent. Year on year burglary offences showed an increase of 5.3 per cent.

Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences increased by 5.3 per cent to 597. Bank raids and robberies from the person rose, while robberies of cash-in-transit vans fell.

The rate of kidnappings is up by 85.7 per cent over the third quarter of 2008. There were 13 cases of false imprisonment, 11 incidents involving the kidnap of a child under 16 and 15 cases of human trafficking between July and September this year. Year-on-year, offences in this category are up by 56.5 per cent.

The number of weapons and explosives offences decreased by 2.3 per cent overall, with the number of cases of discharging a firearm decreasing by 1.8 per cent and of possession of a firearm by 30.2 per cent.

Drugs offences showed a decrease of 15.2 per cent in the third quarter, with reductions in both the number of cases of possession of drugs for sale or supply. On an annualised basis, drug crime is up by 2.1 per cent.

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern said the crime statistics were encouraging but said his focus would remain on reducing offences across all crime sectors.

“It is obviously heartening to see that the two groups containing the most serious offences of homicide and sexual offences showed a further welcome decrease in the third quarter,” he said.

He said the burglary rate was a concern. “At my request the Attorney General has asked the Law Reform Commission to look at the question of mandatory sentencing, particularly for those attacking the vulnerable in our society in this way,” he said. “Even where violence is not involved, the Commissioner and I are very aware of the devastating effects these offences can have on people’s lives.”

The number of public order offences also decreased, by 8.1 per cent, with the number of cases of disorderly conduct, which make up the vast majority of public order offences, decreasing by 8.3 per cent.

Mr Ahern said this fall was attributable to Gardaí identifying and targeting public order hotspots. He said the fall in serious traffic offences was due to “the continuing high level of policing of our roads”.

Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said the marked increase in burglaries showed there was a need for a new focus by gardaí.

"I am conscious that burglary is a crime that can impact significantly on individuals and their sense of security. I want to assure the community that my people continue to target those who are committing burglaries with intelligence-led, focused operations," he said. "These activities have yielded results and people are charged before the courts. Nonetheless, this work must and will continue."

Fine Gael’s justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said the rise in aggravated burglaries was “worrying” evidence of the increased level of threat people are being subjected to in their own homes.

He called on Mr Ahern to consider accepting his party’s home defence bill. This proposal would allow a householder “to stand their ground if confronted by a burglar and would prevent burglars injured on the premises from suing,” Mr Flanagan said.

Mr Flanagan also called for more community policing and the retention of rural Garda stations.

Labour’s spokesman on justice Pat Rabbitte said the figures were alarming in the context of cutbacks in Garda overtime, the embargo on recruitment and promotion within the Garda Siochana and the threat to close many Garda stations.

“I accept that in the current grave economic situation, cutbacks in many areas are inevitable, including in the Department of Justice vote,” he said. “However, this must be done in such a way as to ensure that cutbacks don’t contribute to a further growth in crime and leave communities even more vulnerable to criminals.