Attorney General’s home burgled during Halloween

The home of Attorney General Séamus Woulfe was burgled last week during Halloween, The Irish Times has learned.

The incident is understood to have been “minor” with a source saying little was taken from the home.

Mr Woulfe is a long-time resident of Clontarf in Dublin. A local security source said there has been a recent spate of burglaries in the area.

The burglary is believed to have been random and most likely “kids messing at Halloween”, a source said. Mr Woulfe’s family is understood to have been unharmed although upset after the event.

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Mr Woulfe, who is the legal adviser to the Government, was appointed in 2017. He became a senior counsel in 2005 and took over the role from Máire Whelan when she became a judge in the Court of Appeal.

The burglary comes after an assistant commissioner said earlier this month that a curtailment on Garda overtime would not stymie efforts to tackle the expected rise in burglaries this winter.

Longer nights

Garda research states residential burglaries can increase by up to 23 per cent in winter as thieves take advantage of the longer nights. The largest increase occurs between 5pm and 10pm, with more than 50 per cent of burglars entering through the front or back door.

The Garda has enjoyed significant success in tackling burglary rates in recent years through Operation Thor, which uses intelligence and data analysis to target prolific burglary gangs.

House burglaries fell by 50 per cent between winter 2014 and winter 2018, from 12,057 to 5,997. They fell 10 per cent between 2017 and 2018.

Cash and jewellery tend to be targeted by robbers breaking into homes. It is the fifth year of the implementation of the winter phase of Operation Thor.