A targeted effort by Gardai to tackle winter crime saw burglaries fall by almost a quarter for November and December last year.
There was a rise in burglaries for a number of months up to October but this trend was reversed with the launch of the Winter Phase of Operation Thor.
A preventative plan by Gardai to stop potential burglars from exploiting reduced daylight hours last winter is proving effective.
The Winter Phase of Operation Thor prepared an operational plan after observing an increase in burglaries in September and October.
Since the beginning of November the level of burglaries reported nationally decreased by 23%.
The biggest drop in crime was in the South East with 40% less burglaries reported in December compared to October.
A key part of the plan was tackling organised crime gangs – ten targeted arrests have resulted in a total of 155 criminal convictions.
With prevention being key to this plan, An Garda Síochána is advising people to Lock Up and Light Up as most burglaries occur between 5pm and 11pm in winter months.
