Crime stats on the rise in Limerick post-covid

THERE has been a year-on-year increase in most categories of crime across the Limerick garda division, new figures have confirmed.

However, Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche told members of the Limerick Joint Policing Committee that some types of offences, such as burglaries, remain below 2019 levels.

“We are out of Covid, more or less and there is very little talk about it at present. I did warn over the last two years, during Covid, that there were artificially low figures of crime and everything else because of Covid – people were at home and there was less opportunity (for criminals) and there were less people travelling so the figures are gone up in many areas but we are looking back at 2019 rather than over the last two years,” he said at the quarterly meeting.

Vandalism attack on home and parked cars close to Limerick village

Figures circulated to members show property crimes, such as theft and criminal damage, increased by 69% during the first five months of 2022 when compared to the same period in 2021. There were 1,748 reported incidents with the biggest increases being recorded in the Roxboro Road (+89%) and Henry Street (+81%) garda districts.

Burglaries increased by 52% with 202 reported incidents between January and May. However, there was no change in the number of burglaries in the Newcastle West district while there was a slight reduction (-6%) in the Bruff district.

Friday’s meeting was told the number of crimes against the person (such as assaults, threats etc) increased by 54% to 492 and that most of these were associated with the re-opening of society and, in many cases, the consumption of alcohol.

More than 83% (409) of all offences against the person occurred in the city – late at night and mainly at weekends.

“Crimes against the person are very much linked to the opening up of the night time economy again,” said Chief Supt Roche.