Sallynoggin burglary figures buck the trend

A NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch group on the Southside has announced a drop in burglaries for the third consecutive year.

Following its Annual General Meeting the Sallynoggin Neighbourhood Watch (SNW) confirmed a further drop in burglaries of 18 per cent for the area last year.

This brings the total drop over a three-year period to an astonishing 68 per cent within the community from 59 burglaries in 2008 to 19 for the year 2011.

The news comes in the context of a stark increase in burglaries across the country.

James McCann (25), chairperson, said the SNW had several other successes over the past three years that it believes has greatly enhanced the security of the 1,400 homes it covers.

“Neighbourhood Watch can help reduce crime in areas simply by working to get people to do the simple things that heighten the risk to burglars which can be as straight forward as double locking your door,

? he said.

“It can also be used to protect the most vulnerable within communities and even help tackle anti-social behaviour, graffiti or littering.

?

Recent figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed that burglaries across Dublin had increased by three per cent in 2011 compared to 2010.

The figures are in line with the findings of the 2011 eircom PhoneWatch Burglary Report, the most comprehensive study of burglaries in Ireland, which found that Dublin tops Ireland’s burglary table and represents 42 per cent of all burglaries countrywide.

However, other recent crime figures have shown an overall reduction in several major crime categories.

The National Crime Victims Helpline said it was not surprising that in the current economic climate, the number of reported burglaries and related offences had increased.

Maeve Ryan said fraud, deception and related offences have also risen, while the incidence of reported theft has shown a very slight increase.

“It is worth noting that the total number of reported incidents in these three categories of crime is over 109,000,

? she said.

“That is a very large number of people who will have been affected.

?

The National Helpline number is freephone 116006. The number for texts is 085-1337711.