Oisín McGovern
A SENIOR Mayo garda has insisted that burglaries in Mayo are quite ‘rare’ despite an increase in the number of reported increases.
Gabriel Moran, Superintendent for Mayo South Community Engagement, told The Mayo News that the number of burglaries was lower than pre-Covid figures.
Supt Moran said that 133 burglaries had been reported in the county so far this year, compared to 102 in all of 2021.
He said that the rise in burglaries was due a relaxation of pandemic restrictions on travel in the latter half of 2021. The 2022 figures represent a drop from 158 burglaries at the same period in 2019.
In all of 2020, 86 burglaries were reported in Mayo. All forms of crime plummeted that year due to severe Covid-19 restrictions.
Recent figures reveal that 40 percent of the country’s Garda stations saw more criminal offences in 2021 than 2019.
“Burglaries are still quite rare across the county,” commented Supt Moran, who advised members of the public not to leave valuables on display in their homes over the Christmas period.
“Make sure you are locking and securing your home, make sure you’re aware of neighbours and people acting suspiciously in the area and report any suspicious activity,” he added.
“If you’re doing any home improvements, make sure you’re thinking of the security of your premises when you’re putting on locks on windows and doors. The big thing is being aware of leaving lights on, not pulling the curtains when you’re away for holidays, making sure, if you can, that somebody can call to your house and that it’s not obviously unoccupied.”
Supt Moran also advised that people not post photographs on social media that show that they are away on holidays.