Calls from victims of theft to helpline surged 66% last year, new report finds
The Crime Victims Helpline assists victims of crime by providing information and support to callers. Last year, it dealt with 6,869 contacts, up from 6,507 the previous year.
The most common reason for contacts was assault, accounting for 623 contacts. Harassment and stalking accounted for 595 contacts to the service.
However, the report highlighted the number of contacts regarding thefts rose from 80 in 2023 to 133 last year. The report also noted burglary contacts increased from 79 to 115, a jump of 46%.
The report highlights a lack of dedicated services for 'so-called general crimes — such as theft, burglary, robbery and assault — beyond victim support at court, which only provides assistance during trial proceedings'.
'This leaves a significant number of crime victims without practical, in-person support for essential needs like meeting with gardaí or completing compensation applications. In response, CVH [Crime Victims Helpline] has drafted a pilot proposal to provide enhanced support services for victims of these undeserved crimes,' it said.
Analysis of crime figures in Cork City and county by the Irish Examiner in recent days highlighted theft is the most common crime in Cork City — particularly in the city centre.
Anglesea Street Garda Station received 1,309 reports of thefts and related offences among the 3,328 crimes recorded by the station last year. Bridewell Garda Station handled 1,743 crime reports last year, including 696 thefts and related offences, while Watercourse Road Garda Station dealt with 537 reported thefts offences among a total of 1,524 crimes in the same 12-month period.
Racist hate crime
The number of contacts received by the Crime Victims Helpline about racist hate crimes almost trebled last year, according to the report.
The report outlines it received 44 reports of racist hate-related crimes in 2024 – up from 15 in 2023, describing it as a 'an alarming increase'.
It comes as the Indian Embassy in Ireland has warned its citizens about an increase 'in the instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently'.
The statement on the embassy's website says: 'The embassy is in touch with the authorities concerned of Ireland in this regard. At the same time, all Indian citizens in Ireland are advised to take reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, especially in odd hours."
The warning followed two recent incidents in Dublin, in which two Indian men were targeted. In one, a man was attacked by a gang of youths in Sean Walsh Park, near the Square in Tallaght, and his phone was stolen.
In the second incident, in Parkhill Lawns, Kilnamanagh, an Indian man was stripped of his trousers and sustained serious injuries, including lacerations to his face and head. Gardaí are investigating that incident as a possible hate-motivated crime.
Garda figures for last year showed a 4% increase in hate crimes and hate-related incidents — up from 651 in 2023 to 676 in 2024. The figures related to any criminal offence perceived by the victim or any other person 'to be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender', according to gardaí.
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Irish Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Go back to India' - Mum distraught as kids allegedly attack her little girl
A mother is distraught after a group of kids allegedly attacked her little girl - and told her to go back to India. 'They said the F word and 'Dirty Indian, go back to India,' six-year-old Nia Naveen's devastated mother told The Irish Mirror. And mum Anupa Achuthan revealed that the horror incident happened while her Irish-born little girl was playing outside her own home. Anupa, who has lived and worked in Ireland for eight years and recently became an Irish citizen, said the gang included a girl aged around eight - and several boys between 12 and 14. Now the nurse says she is devastated that she could not protect her little girl. She told us: 'I feel so sad for her. I could not protect her. I never expected that such an incident would happen. I thought she would be safe here." Anupa, who has lived in Ireland for eight years, said the incident happened on Monday evening when Nia was playing outside the home the young family moved into in the Kilbarry area of Waterford City. She told us she was watching Nia play with other kids right outside when she had to go and feed her toddler son, Nihan, who is just 10 months old. She said: 'It was around 7.30pm and she was playing inside the house. She wanted to play outside and go cycling. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week 'I let her outside for a few seconds. My husband was at work on night duty. He was off to work and I was alone with my 10 month old and my six year old. She went out with her friends. I was supervising them just in front of the house. They were playing together and I knew they were safe. "My youngest one started crying because it was his feeding time so I just let Nia know that I would be popping inside the house and she could play with her friends and I would be back in a second after feeding the baby.' But she said Nia came back into the house upset after around a minute. Anupa said: 'She was very upset, she started crying. She couldn't even talk, she was so scared. 'I had never seen my daughter like that. I just asked her friends what happened and they were all so upset, they couldn't talk. One of her friends said a gang of boys older than them hit her on the private parts with a cycle and five of them punched her on her face. 'She told me five of them punched her in the face. One of the boys pushed the bicycle wheel onto her private parts and it was really sore. They said the F word and 'Dirty Indian, go back to India. She told me today they punched her neck and twisted her hair.' Anupa said the family moved into the house in January - and everything was going well until Monday's incident. She said: 'When we moved into the new house (Nia) was so happy, she got new friends and had places to play. 'Now I am really upset because she told me last night she was crying in the bed and is really upset to play outside. I do not feel safe here, even in front of our own house we believe she can't play safely. 'I feel so sad for her. I could not protect her. I never expected that such an incident would happen. I thought she would be safe here.' Anupa Achuthan pictured with her daughter Nia Naveen during an interview with reporter Michael O'Toole in their home in Waterford on Tuesday. (Image: Jim Campbell) KS Naveen and Anupa Achuthan pictured with their daughter Nia Naveen and their son Nihan Naveen in their home in Waterford on Tuesday. (Image: Jim Campbell) Anupa also said she saw the gang of kids involved in the incident afterwards - and they stared her down. She said: 'I saw the gang after. They were staring at me. They know I am her parent. They were roaming around here. The boys were maybe 12 or 14. They were staring at me and laughing.' Despite going to gardai over the incident, Anupa says she does not want the kids punished - but given counselling instead. She said: 'I appreciate that they are small children, but we believe it is our place as well - what if she can't even play in front of her own house? That is not safe. 'I believe this estate belongs to them as well. I do not want them punished, I would like them to get counselling. They have to be aware of this. I accept that they are kids, but they have to know how to treat other kids well. 'She didn't do anything - she was just playing outside. They did it without any provocation, that is not acceptable. If the kids are doing this, we have to stop them, we have to educate them how to behave.' She also said that she was proud to be Indian and also to have her Irish citizenship. She said: 'I am proud to be Indian, but this is my second country. I am so happy to be an Irish citizen, but now I feel that I don't belong here. 'I am a nurse, I am doing my best to take care of people. I do my work and I am 100 per cent professional. I changed my citizenship, but still we are called dirty people and even my kids are not safe. 'I don't know how the government will be addressing this. We came here to fill a labour gap. We are professionals - we have all the certificates. 'It is a struggle to come here. We are not coming here without any qualifications. We are well qualified and the government needs us. 'I believe this is my country also. I belong here.' Anupa also said the Indian community in Ireland was still reeling from two recent attacks in Dublin, one in Tallaght and another in Clondalkin. In each case Indian men were subjected to random attacks. And shortly afterwards the Indian embassy here issued a statement warning Indian citizen to be careful here. She said: 'This is not the first incident in Ireland (for Indian people) We were so upset about what happened in Dublin. I never expected these racial comments to happen in my estate as well.' The Garda Press Office were contacted for comment but the Irish Mirror did not receive a statement before publication. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Calls from victims of theft to helpline surged 66% last year, new report finds
The number of victims of theft seeking support last year from the Crime Victims Helpline surged by 66%, according to its annual report. The Crime Victims Helpline assists victims of crime by providing information and support to callers. Last year, it dealt with 6,869 contacts, up from 6,507 the previous year. The most common reason for contacts was assault, accounting for 623 contacts. Harassment and stalking accounted for 595 contacts to the service. However, the report highlighted the number of contacts regarding thefts rose from 80 in 2023 to 133 last year. The report also noted burglary contacts increased from 79 to 115, a jump of 46%. The report highlights a lack of dedicated services for 'so-called general crimes — such as theft, burglary, robbery and assault — beyond victim support at court, which only provides assistance during trial proceedings'. 'This leaves a significant number of crime victims without practical, in-person support for essential needs like meeting with gardaí or completing compensation applications. In response, CVH [Crime Victims Helpline] has drafted a pilot proposal to provide enhanced support services for victims of these undeserved crimes,' it said. Analysis of crime figures in Cork City and county by the Irish Examiner in recent days highlighted theft is the most common crime in Cork City — particularly in the city centre. Anglesea Street Garda Station received 1,309 reports of thefts and related offences among the 3,328 crimes recorded by the station last year. Bridewell Garda Station handled 1,743 crime reports last year, including 696 thefts and related offences, while Watercourse Road Garda Station dealt with 537 reported thefts offences among a total of 1,524 crimes in the same 12-month period. Racist hate crime The number of contacts received by the Crime Victims Helpline about racist hate crimes almost trebled last year, according to the report. The report outlines it received 44 reports of racist hate-related crimes in 2024 – up from 15 in 2023, describing it as a 'an alarming increase'. It comes as the Indian Embassy in Ireland has warned its citizens about an increase 'in the instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently'. The statement on the embassy's website says: 'The embassy is in touch with the authorities concerned of Ireland in this regard. At the same time, all Indian citizens in Ireland are advised to take reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, especially in odd hours." The warning followed two recent incidents in Dublin, in which two Indian men were targeted. In one, a man was attacked by a gang of youths in Sean Walsh Park, near the Square in Tallaght, and his phone was stolen. In the second incident, in Parkhill Lawns, Kilnamanagh, an Indian man was stripped of his trousers and sustained serious injuries, including lacerations to his face and head. Gardaí are investigating that incident as a possible hate-motivated crime. Garda figures for last year showed a 4% increase in hate crimes and hate-related incidents — up from 651 in 2023 to 676 in 2024. The figures related to any criminal offence perceived by the victim or any other person 'to be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender', according to gardaí.
Sunday World
a day ago
- Sunday World
‘Kids asked me to promise I‘ll never taxi again' – Indian man attacked in Dublin
Men who ordered taxi on an app beat driver with a bottle Lakhvir Singh (46) is recovering from the injuries he suffered in the attack, but he has been left too scared to even think about his livelihood and future. The father of two was dropping off two young men at Poppintree Community Sports Centre when they turned on him and struck him twice across his forehead with a bottle, shouting 'go back to your country'. The men ordered the taxi on an app at about 11.10pm and one of the two willingly paid the €50 fare upfront. The other man, however, initially refused to get into the taxi with a 'black' driver but he was persuaded to take the lift, according to Mr Singh. After a stop off at a garage in Ballymun, Mr Singh dropped the two men at Poppintree, where they suddenly turned on him. 'The customer sitting in the front ran out and around to my door,' he said. 'He tried opening it but I held it firmly shut and the second man ran around to help his friend open the door. They ran off when they saw the blood 'When they couldn't get it open, one of the men ran back around to the passenger side, picked up a broken bottle from the ground and struck me twice across the forehead. He was shouting 'go back to your country' at me. 'They ran off when they saw the blood. I couldn't find my phone so I knocked on doors of nearby houses but nobody answered. I went back to my car and found my phone and called the emergency services.' Taxi driver Lakhvir Singh, who was assaulted in Ballymun over the weekend. Photo: Mark Condren Mr Singh, who has been living in Ireland for 23 years, was taken to hospital, where he needed 12 stitches to the wound on his forehead. He has been driving a taxi for over 10 years in Dublin but is now contemplating changing his job. His taxi is still being forensically examined by gardaí. 'My two teenage children are very scared for me and have made me promise that I'll never drive a taxi again,' he said. "I'll certainly never drive at night, but I may have to find another job altogether. I'm scared and I'm scared now for my children 'Apart from the black comment, any time the men spoke to me, they spoke nicely. This came out of the blue. 'I'm scared and I'm scared now for my children who will be using public transport when they go to college. 'Every day there seems to be another story of racist attacks and it seems to be getting worse in recent months.' The assault took place at about 11.45pm on Friday in Poppintree, Ballymun, Dublin 11. A garda spokesperson said they are currently investigating the incident. 'A man, aged in his 40s, was brought to hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injury,' they said in a statement. 'Investigations are ongoing.' In the wake of recent attacks on Indian citizens, the Indian embassy issued a statement on its website, advising Indian nationals to 'take reasonable precautions'. 'There has been an increase in the instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently,' it said in a statement. All Indian citizens in Ireland are advised to take reasonable precautions 'The embassy is in touch with the authorities concerned of Ireland in this regard. At the same time, all Indian citizens in Ireland are advised to take reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, especially in odd hours.' On July 19, an Indian man was attacked by a group of teenagers around 6pm at Parkhill Lawns in Kilnamanagh, Tallaght. The assault sparked the anti-racism protests on July 26, organised by members of Ireland's migrant community, where hundreds of people gathered outside the Dáil in solidarity against the racist attacks. On July 27, an Indian data scientist, Dr Santosh Yadav, was beaten by teenagers near Clondalkin in Dublin.
