Garda chief reveals upsurge in rural robberies

Galway’s top Garda has warned of a noticeable uptick in burglaries across the county, as winter closes in and Covid-19 restrictions ease.

Chief Supt Tom Curley told this week’s Joint Policing Committee meeting that there had been a spate of rural burglaries carried out by a gang targeting Headford, Ballinasloe, Mountbellew and Kiltormer over a number of hours one day last week.

Official figures show that burglaries have decreased so far this year, compared with 2020 but Chief Supt Curley said that there has been a noticeable increase in burglaries in recent weeks as the economy opens up from Covid-19 restrictions, and as days get darker.

These burglaries would feed into the figures for the overall year, and he urged communities to be vigilant.

Chief Supt Curley said that there were 135 rural burglaries recorded in County Galway in the months to the end of September. This was eleven fewer or 8% less than the same period last year when Covid-19 restrictions were in force for longer.

Thefts from shops were down by 4% to 150 incidents; and ‘theft other’ was down by 3% to 150.

Thefts from vehicles were down by 23% to 51 incidents.

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