Oisín McGovern
THE number of burglaries in Mayo has increased by 41 percent in one year, according to the latest CSO crime statistics.
Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday (Monday) Superintendent Joe McKenna said that the increase was due to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions on work and travel in the summer of 2021.
Supt McKenna revealed at last month’s meeting of Mayo County Council’s Joint Policing Committee that burglaries in Mayo had fallen by 24 percent on the same period in 2019.
The senior garda told The Mayo News that the county still had one of the lowest rates of burglaries in the country.
Supt McKenna added that travelling gangs had resumed activity and urged the public to make every precaution to protect their homes from being burgled.
Nationally there were 2,450 burglaries between April and June, an increase of 29.4 percent compared to the same months in 2021.
Burglaries plummeted nationwide due to lockdowns and increased numbers of people working from home.
Supt McKenna recommended that people install an alarm where possible; get their neighbours to keep a watch on their homes, and not to share any holiday photos on social media while they are away.
“If there are occasions, be it funerals or events, be conscious as they are all advertised on social media,” he stated.
He added that the most popular times for burglaries are from Thursday to Sunday between 5pm and 9pm.
He also advised people to deter burglars by leaving a light or a radio on and to keep jewellery locked away safely.
Operation Thor has been in operation since October 1 in order to deter and apprehend travelling gangs who use the motorway system to carry out robberies.
Burglaries in Mayo up 41 percent in a year
