Focus of crime detection and prevention is burglaries, JPC hears

As we move into a post-covid environment, the reopening of the country has also seen a significant increase in crime levels in Westmeath.

However, Chief Superintendent John Dollard stressed that levels are more in line with pre-Covid levels, “so we’re in good shape”.

Detective Inspector Tom Quinn said the primary focus in terms of crime detection and prevention is burglaries – particularly residential burglaries and thefts from shops.

Figures have increased “dramatically” from this time last year, but that’s “as a result of returning to normal after Covid”, he stressed.

“We still have a fairly good handle on things and we’re still a long way short of where we were three years ago in terms of the amount of crime that’s being committed in the division,” he said.

Detective Inspector Quinn confirmed that gardaí are doing their best to ensure thefts and burglaries do not go undetected in the division.

“Anything where there are suspects identifiable through whatever means, we are following them up and we’ve had a number of arrests across the country and the division, particularly in Dublin with travelling gangs who are committing burglaries down here,” he said.

Superintendent David Nolan confirmed the number of burglaries in Mullingar increased from 51 to 89 since this time last year.

“Most of those are domestic burglaries,” he said, adding that a number of arrests have been made and a number of files are currently with the DPP and awaiting instructions.

“We’ve also had eight robberies in Mullingar District since the 1st of January. I’m happy to inform the meeting that seven of those robberies have been detected and we have people before the courts in respect of those robberies.”

Despite the increase in burglaries, Supt Nolan noted a 22% reduction in thefts from vehicles since last year, and said theft of vehicles was up by just two incidents in the same time period.

Theft from shops has increased by 61% since last year and theft of other property has increased by 70%.

“A lot of thefts in this category are happening in rural areas in conjunction with some rural burglaries,” said Supt Nolan of the latter figure, and the lack of CCTV makes these crimes “very difficult to detect”.

Superintendent for Athlone Michelle Baker was pleased to note that the theft and burglary figures and some other crime figures for the town “have held their own” with “no major spikes”.

“For me, our concern is spikes is the theft from shops and the ‘theft other’, which is a large category as well,” she said.

“I have the crime prevention officer Sgt McWalter tasked with the new Community Policing Unit in Athlone to establish a business forum. I’ve asked the Community Policing Unit, based on these figures, to set that up maybe in the winter, towards the end of November, pre the Christmas rush.”