Santry sees rise in burglary figures

SANTRY has reported the highest increase in the average number of burglaries in Dublin’s Northern Garda Division, according to the latest CSO crime figures. 

The average number of burglaries reported to gardai in Santry has increased by almost 14 per cent since the start of the year, according to the newly-released statistics.

The Northside suburb has seen a rise of four cases a month on average with 33 recorded so far this year, compared to 29 a month in 2014.

CSO figures for the division show a total of 518 burglaries recorded in the second quarter of 2015 – a drop of 27 on the total of 545 for the same period of 2014.

Incidents in Coolock have increased by three a month to an average of 34, with a total of 204 reported burglaries to the end of June.

Security expert Jim Toal of Fairco.ie has urged householders to consider burglar-proof windows and doors to deter a new, more effective, breed of burglar who has taken over from the traditional opportunist.

“The average alarm doesn’t deter the new burglar and he has all the tools of the trade to break and enter into an average home,” said Jim, Managing Director of Fairco.ie who supply and install Ireland’s only guaranteed burglar-proof windows and doors.

 “We would urge all householders to consider fitting windows that carry the police-preferred Secured By Design specification.

 “If you are going to spend money on windows, you need to make sure they are windows that burglars can’t get through.

 “Burglar-proof windows cost very little extra, and we are at a loss to understand why the rest of the industry has not followed our lead and invested in the technology that is out there to guarantee the security of people’s homes.”

Fairco were the first Irish company to achieve the ‘police-preferred specification’ PAS 024 certification and their windows and doors are rated high security as standard.

Fairco are offering to give householders €3,000 if an intruder even attempts to gain access to their home through Ireland’s first guaranteed burglar-proof windows and doors.

“A human being cannot generate enough force to break into these windows and doors, and any traditional methods used by burglars have been closed off thanks to a series of enhanced high-security measures,” said Jim, who advises Neighbourhood Watch schemes on anti-burglary measures.

Howth saw a small percentage increase on its total of 13 for 2014 compared with nine so far for 2015.  

Across the Northside, Raheny, Clontarf and Ballymun all saw their number of burglaries fall to date this year.

Clontarf’s figure is now 155 to date this year, an average of 26 burglaries a month, compared to 30 a month last year.

In Ballymun, the figure fell by three to give a monthly average of 11 this year while there was a drop of four cases a month in Raheny where there were 84 burglaries recorded up to June of this year.  

Nationally, burglaries were up over 8 per cent to 28,830 cases reported to gardai.