There has been a significant drop in the number of residential burglaries during the winter months in recent years.
New Garda figures show that winter-time burglaries have dropped 50% over the past four years.
According to the provisional figures, home burglaries fell from 12,057 over the winter of 2014/15 to 5,997 last winter.
They dropped by 10% year-on-year; falling from 6,613 in the winter of 2017/18 to 5,997 last winter.
Operation Thor
Gardaí said the reduction came about under Operation Thor, which “actively targets organised crime and repeat offenders.”
The Winter Phase of the operation runs from the start of October until the end of March each year.
Assistant Garda Commissioner John O’Driscoll said: “The positive conclusion to the Winter Phase of Operation Thor is encouraging and we will refocus and build on that success in Operation Thor, during the summer months.
“We are particularly aware of the vulnerability of older victims and are determined to apprehend those who exploit their vulnerability,” he said.
Winter crime
Gardaí said international evidence suggests that burglaries surge by as much as 20% during the winter months when there is the least amount of daylight.
The winter phase of Operation Thor involves targeted enforcement and preventative activity aimed at stopping criminals from exploiting the darker nights.
Investigators said a key aspect of the operation involved the targeting organised crime gangs involved in burglaries.
Checkpoints are also used to provide a visible deterrent to criminals while Garda case managers are used to oversee repeat offenders and ensure bail laws are used effectively.
