Crime in city shows rise in first ten months of year

Burglaries and assaults jumped by a quarter in the city this year compared to last year.

Overall crime was up by 3% in Galway City, with almost 6,000 incidents reported to Gardaí, according to the figures presented by Chief Superintendent Tom Curley at a City Joint Policing Committee (JPC) meeting.

Burglaries reached 238 this year – 45 more than the same ten month-period in 2016. Theft from vehicles was up 3% to 109, shoplifting incident were up 13% to 482 and mobile phone thefts were recorded at 255 – a hike of 29%.

There were 42 burglaries and 45 ‘other thefts’ – namely mobiles, breaking into parking metres and stealing groceries from shopping trolleys – logged in the last five months when tourists were at their peak.

Assaults were also well up this year – serious assaults jumped by a quarter to 67, while minor assaults were up by a similar margin to 190.

There were 30 sexual assaults and 18 rapes reported in the first ten months of the year, an increase of five and four respectively.

Chief Supt Curley said many of these were historical allegations.

He pointed out that while there had been an increase in crime in 2017, this came after a significant drop in 2016 when many culprits were jailed.

“They go into the system and then come out. We have had a number of very good detections made in the city recently and hopefully we’ll see the impact of that.”

He also noted that in the past four months the Garda division had five extra guards, five more were coming onto duty in mid-December, two in Mill Street, three in Salthill.

“Nine people are due to retire next year so it’s essential we get people in and get them upskilled,” he said.

For the first time, offences by cyclists were included in the statistics presented to the JPC – they went from 15 to 29 this year.

Independent Councillor Donal Lyons said he was delighted to see the Gardaí taking action against cyclists, as they were cycling “full steam ahead” on the likes of the Prom and on footpaths, seriously endangering lives.

Fine Gael’s Padraig Conneely said they were always cycling on the footpath in Bohermore, where many older people lived in houses with doors that opened straight on them.

“Why are cyclists so aggressive? You tell them they’re cycling up a one-way and they tell you to ‘f-off’. When you confront the cyclists you get a lot of abuse.”

Chief Supt Curley said signage needed to be erected at the Prom to ensure cyclists were aware they were banned.