26% Increase In Burglaries In Kildare

The highest increase in burglary rates in 2022 were in Meath with a 34% increase

There's a significant annual increase in burglaries, County Kildare had one of highest increase in burglary rates last year up 26%.

The increase in burglary rates is widespread across the country, with a large majority (21 of the 28) of Garda Divisions reporting a year-on-year increase, according to research conducted by Bounce on behalf of PhoneWatch Ltd, October 2022

The counties with the highest increase in burglary rates in 2022 were Meath with a 34% increase followed, closely by Mayo with a 33% increase. Kerry saw a 28% increase, and Kildare 26% while Dublin and its regions saw a 13% increase from 2021 to 2022.

In contrast, there were some counties who had decreases in the rate of burglaries, Sligo and Leitrim decreased by 18%, Cork North decreased by 14% and Galway decreased by 8%.  But on a national level, the increase is striking.

It comes at a time when almost 3 out of 4 (72%) homeowners admit that they are concerned or very concerned about being the victim of a burglary. This concern is slightly more prevalent in urban areas (76%) than it is among rural communities (67%)*

According to the latest CSO statistics on burglary, there was an 10% increase in burglaries in 2022 compared to 2021. This is the first annual increase in the rate of burglaries for five years!

The new statistics released by the CSO reveals that there were nearly 9,500 burglaries nationwide throughout 2022.

Eoin Dunne, Managing Director of PhoneWatch, commented: “The rate of burglaries across the country has increased by 10% year on year – the first annual increase since 2017.

"The number of incidents is a reminder to all homeowners to always remain vigilant with their home security," she added.

There are some simple but effective measures you can take at home to ensure you feel confident and comfortable when you are at home or away.

• Check windows and doors: Always ensure your front and back doors are locked and windows shut, even if you are only leaving your house for a short time. PhoneWatch analysis shows that the majority of burglars gain entry through the front or back doors and yet a quarter of people still leave these unlocked.
• Leave a light on: The most common time for a burglary is between 5pm and 11pm. During this time, you should make sure your home is well lit up. You could invest in smart plugs and set certain lights on a timer, to turn on and make it appear as if you are in your home.
• Turn on your alarm when you’re at home: With half of all burglaries occurring while people are in their homes, it is just as important to lock your doors while you are at home and turn on your alarm.
• Don’t share holiday updates: If you are going on holidays, don’t post about it on social media until you are back, as you are highlighting that your home is vacant.
• Ask a neighbour: If you are away from your home for several days, ask a neighbour could they bring in your post, so that it doesn’t pile up and look as if there is nobody home.
• Don’t keep spare keys outside: Instead ensure your neighbour has a spare set of keys for emergencies. With PhoneWatch keytags your chosen family members and neighbours can arm and disarm your alarm and you can view activity through our handy app.
• Get an alarm and use it: Fitting and maintaining a monitored alarm system is an excellent way to protect your home, it acts as a strong deterrent to potential burglars and provides peace of mind knowing that your home is being protected 24 hours a day.