‘Residents in fear’ despite Garda claim of big drop in burglaries

Date Published: 21-May-2012

By Dara Bradley

The veracity of official Garda statistics showing a sharp decline in the numbers of burglaries carried out on homes in the city this year has been questioned.

The latest local Garda crime report revealed that burglaries are on the wane in the city and Salthill areas but the figures were challenged by a number of City Councillors who claimed the statistics did not reflect the reality ‘on the ground’ where the public perception was that burglaries were rife.

The Galway City Joint Policing Committee (JPC) yesterday heard horror stories of how residents of estates in Mervue, Ballybane, Renmore, Claddagh, Westside, Newcastle and Knocknacarra are living in fear because of burglaries in those areas.

In his report to the meeting, Chief Superintendent Michael O’Sullivan, who replaced the retired Donal Ó Cualáin, outlined that city burglaries had reduced by almost a quarter in the first four months of this year. Chief Supt O’Sullivan said there were a total of 175 burglaries in the city Garda Divisions between January and April of 2012, a 23.4% reduction on the corresponding period last year.

In his report, he outlined that overall crime in the city had fallen by almost 14%, to 2,356 instances of crime recorded in the first four months of the year. But members of the JPC questioned whether the burglary figures were true.

City Councillor Billy Cameron said overall there may have been reductions in burglaries but there was no doubt that in certain areas on the west of the city burglaries were on the rise.

“There have been a spate of burglaries on the west side of the city, I have to take issue with these burglary statistics. People are afraid to open their doors – nobody should have to live like that,” he said.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel