Gardaí have revealed plans to be out on patrol across the country to help protect communities and deter criminals from burglary during dark winter nights.
Operation Thor was relaunched for winter 2023 to prevent burglars from exploiting the reduced hours of daylight.
During the winter period, burglary on a premises or property is still most likely to occur between 5pm to 9pm on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
In the eight years since Operation Thor was introduced, burglary and related offences have declined overall, including a 75% drop in residential burglaries, down from 12,057 in 2014/15 to 2,988 in 2022/23.
Speaking today, Detective Chief Superintendent Boland, GNDOCB said, “It is deeply traumatic for any person when their home or business premises is burgled. It’s an invasion of privacy and often times, even if nothing of sentimental or monetary value is taken, the place never feels comfortable to a victim again.
“There are vulnerable people and people who are elderly that live in more rural parts of the country and can be fearful of being burgled. Gardaí are very conscious to protect these people and reassure them of their presence in the community.
“This winter we will be out on patrol across the country to help protect communities and deter criminals from burglary.”
There are a number of steps that can help protect your home whether you are at home or going out:
• Turn on some lights (LED bulbs are more energy efficient than traditional bulbs)
• Use timer switches/motion detectors
• Lock all doors and windows
• Use a house alarm
• Store keys away from windows
• Don’t keep large amounts of cash or jewellery in the house.
Operation Thor focuses on five main areas:
1. Crime Prevention and Protecting Communities: Conducting high-visibility patrols and check-points at specific times of day in known ‘hot-spots’ to reduce the movement of burglars, gathering intelligence on known offenders and regularly communicating with those in the community about crime prevention measures
2. Crime Investigation and Operational Activity: Ensuring that every burglary is thoroughly investigated to the highest possible standard, daily monitoring of crime data to assess any changes in the trend of burglaries, associated crimes and detection rates, and utilising this information to inform burglary prevention strategies
3. Working in Partnership: Continuing to work closely with all partner agencies in both local and national government as well as those in the community by way of providing crime prevention advice and a reassuring presence in the locality
4. Education and Awareness: Interacting with young people and encouraging them to divert away from an involvement in crime/burglary. An Garda Síochána will continue to promote local community policing strategies via social media, and raise awareness of how to enhance the security of your home and private property i.e. An Garda Síochána’s ‘Lock Up/Light Up’ campaign
5. Victim Support: Keeping the victim at the centre of the overall operational response and providing professional support and advice as well as regular case updates to every victim.
An Garda Síochána has developed a Property App. This free mobile app is available to the public to index and record their personal property i.e. jewellery, electronic equipment, bicycles, laptops, cameras, farm machinery etc. In the circumstance that the person then has their property stolen, they can use the in-app reporting tool to easily report the theft of any of the item(s) they have uploaded securely, to Gardaí.
An Garda Síochána App – Garda: https://www.garda.ie/en/angardasiochanaapp/
An Garda Síochána promotes the practice of ‘property marking.’ Property Marking engagement days are held by local community policing units and regularly highlighted on Garda social media platforms.
An Garda Síochána – Property Marking: https://www.garda.ie/!C4WFWO
An Garda Síochána ‘Lock Up Light Up’ campaign is An Garda Síochána’s anti-burglary awareness campaign which encourages homeowners to protect their homes over the winter months, when burglaries traditionally tend to rise.
‘Lock Up Light Up’ campaign – Garda: https://www.garda.ie/en/crime-prevention/-lock-up-light-up-campaign/
