Cops on the beat credited with drop in serious crime

Increased Garda visibility on the city’s streets has been credited as Galway’s crime rate continues to fall.

Local Garda crime statistics reveal the number of serious crimes recorded in the city in the first eight months of this year has reduced by 26%.

That represented some 1,438 fewer crimes between January and August this year, compared with 2015.

City burglaries have almost halved during that period, compared with 2015; and all categories of thefts have been significantly reduced.

Garda Chief Superintendent Tom Curley was congratulated by members of the Galway City Joint Policing Committee for the reduction in crime, which he attributed in part to increased visibility of his members.

There were 162 burglaries recorded in the first eight months of this year, 141 fewer than the same period last year (down 47%).

Thefts also plummeted: there were 53 thefts from person (41 fewer, -44%); 361 thefts from shops, down by 31 or 8%; there were 91 thefts from vehicles, down 13%; and there were 151 ‘other’ thefts, which represented a 23% reduction or 47 fewer.

The numbers of assaults causing harm was down 16 (29%) to 39 incidents; and there were 118 minor assaults recorded, some 23 fewer than the same period last year, or 23%.

Public order offences showed a slight increase – up by 21 or 5% to 444 incidents. Chief Supt Curley told the meeting that when the entire county was taken into account, public order was actually down.

He said there were 714 public order incidents across the county in that period, 17 fewer than the same period last year.

The one area of concern highlighted by several members was the increase in domestic incidents. There was a 58% increase in breaches of barring orders, safety orders and protection orders – up by 15 to 41.

The incidents where no offence was disclosed (a complaint of domestic abuse is made, but no statement is given by the victim) stood at 109, down by 8%. Chief Supt Curley said all these calls are logged and Gardaí make follow-up visits to their homes.

There were eight rapes in the period January to August, which was the same as 2015.

Non-aggravated sexual assaults had increased by three (20%) to 18 incidents – the Chief Supt said the increase was accounted for by historical cases.