Increase in burglaries and decrease of traffic offences in Tipperary Garda District

THE latest crime statistics from across Tipperary reveal a significant increase in non-aggrvated burglaries and decrease in driving offences.

The statistics cover the period from the start of the year to May 5 and collate information gathered from the five Tipperary

Garda Districts in the vast Tipperary/Clare Garda Division.
The statistics were delivered to the final meeting of the Tipperary Joint Policing Committee on Friday last by Chief Superintdent, Aileen Magner.

There were 662 incidents of domestic abuse in Tipperary, indicating a fall of 3% on the same time last year.
Domestic Abuse crimes include breaches of barring orders, protection orders and safety orders; domestic disputes where no offence is identified and any incident with a domestic aspect.

On these crimes, Chief Supt. Magner said the priority is not ensuring the perpetrator is brought before the courts, but rather that victims receive the proper support network. Gardaí ensure perpetrators of crime receive justice and study patterns related to repeat offenders, she added.

Property crime, which includes all burglaries, robbeeries and theft offences, increased across the Division by 24%, with 631 incidents investigated by Gardaí.

In the Nenagh District, which also covers Roscrea, there was a 3% decrease with 115 incidents reported, while in Thurles there was a significant increase of 65%, with 127 incidents of property crime reported to Gardaí.

There was a 69% increase in non-aggravated burglaries with 125 incidents reported, which comprised of an 83% increase in residential burglaries and 30% increase in non-residential incidents.

There was a startling 127% increase in the Nenagh and Roscrea District with 25 incidents reported and a 91% increase in the Thurles District where 21 incidents were reported to Gardaí.

Assaults, including assaults causing harm and minor assaults, fell by 9% with 138 incidents reported. They were comprised of a 40% decrease in assaults causing garm and a 8% increase in minor assaults.

There was a 26% decrease in assaults in the Nenagh District and a 42% fall in the Thurles District.

PROACTIVE POLICING

Detection levels for possession of drugs for sale or supply remained the same as this time last year, with 33 incidents across the region and this was mirrored in the possession of drugs for personal use, which fell by 3% to 122 incidents.

The largest numbers of drug related incidents were recorded in the Clonmel region, accounting for almost half of the incidents of drugs for sale or supply and for personal use.

There was also a decrease in the possession of firearms and offensive weapons, which fell by 33% with 22 incidents recorded by Gardai.

Gardaí saw major improvement in traffic related offences compared to the same time last year, where serious injury collissions have fallen by 53%.

Gardaí operated 775 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints across the Division and there was an 11% decrease to 63 incidents of drink driving, while there was a 69% increase in driving under the influence of drugs, with 22 detections.

There was a 2% decrease in the number of motorists caught using a mobile phone behind the wheel with 148 incidents recorded, with a 17% decrease in the number of motorists caught driving without wearing a seatblet, with 62 incidents recorded.

There was a 17% decrease in the number of speeding offences, with 3,808 motorists detected over the speed limit in comparison to 3,808 at the same time last year.

Gardaí have also operated numerous multi-agency checkpoints, which include staff from the Road Safety Authority (RSA), Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and Revenue.

Supt. James Tierney told the meeting the Gardaí have disrupted the activities of organised crime gangs who are based outisde the jurisdiction and use the motorway network to access rural areas of Tipperary.

Supt. Tierney said the theft of MPV vehicles such as quads has mushroomed and thieves partiuarly target machinery imported from Japan due to less robust security standards.

'REPORT ALL CRIME'

JPC Chairman, Noel Coonan, told the meeting there is an alarming increase in the number of crimes going unreported and said he knows incidents of items such as quads and lawnmowers which were stolen from residences, but the owner's attitude is “what the point in reporting it”.

Cllr. Coonan said it is importnat the “good news stories” are reported to the public, so people can see that reporting crime helps Gardaí and can lead to them being reuinted with their property.

It was stressed at the meeting that people should report all incidents of crime, as small incidents can often be the missing piece in a wider investigation.

Reporting incidents also enables Gardaí to compile information and statistics to accurately assess trends in the area and to mount a suitable response.

Detailed photographs and recording the unique serial numbers on items can also provide invaluable assistance to Gardaí when tackling poperty theft, as when an item is identified it can returned to the owner and provide evidence or information crucial to securing a conviction.

“We can link crimes together and identify suspects and I would urge the public to report any incident, or anything suspicious to their local Gardaí”, Supt. Tierney said.