Garda figures show drop in aggravated burglary and theft but increase in fraud
Gardaí say there has been a marked drop in crimes, including aggravated burglary, violent disorder and theft, over the first three months of the year - but fraud offences have skyrocked.
The Provisional Crime Statistics for the first quarter of 2025, up to the end of March, show crimes involving interfering with a vehicle were down 38 per cent, theft from person was down 30 per cent while aggravated burglary was down 29 per cent.
Robbery from the person was down 27 per cent, robbery from establishment was down 25 per cent and residential burglary (not aggravated) dipped by 17 per cent.
Criminal damage, demonstrations (non-crime), and affray/riot/violent disorder were all down, however, overall fraud offences were up a staggering 61 per cent, with public order up two per cent.
CSO statistics show that nationally there was a seven per cent reduction in recorded crime in 2024 compared to 2019, with 44 per cent of all Garda stations recorded an overall reduction in recorded crime in 2024 compared to 2019.
Ireland recorded the seven per cent reduction in crime (2024/ 2019) while undergoing a 9.3 per cent increase in population since 2019, and a far greater reduction in crime (2024/ 2002) from a peak in 2008, while experiencing a 37 per cent increase in population since 2002.
Here is the full breakdown from the Garda report:
Property Crime
The level of property crime has decreased across all crime types in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024
Burglary (not aggravated)
Operation THOR is a multi-strand approach to tackling burglaries with an emphasis on preventing the crime from happening in the first instance. Operation Thor actively targets organised crime gangs and repeat offenders through co-ordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends. Operation THOR has successfully reduced the rate of winter burglaries, leading to a significant decline in residential burglaries by 75 per cent since its introduction in 2015.
Operation Táirge was introduced in December 2023 to target Organised Retail Crime. Theft from shops reported an increase in 2024 (+9 per cent). This higher level of reporting continues, particularly in the Dublin Region.
An Garda Síochána continues to investigate and detect retail theft and support retailers in increasing in the first instance prevention of retail theft.
Under Operation Táirge, in the 12month period April 2024 - April 2025 the number of arrests for Theft from Shop increased by 8 per cent (over 8,300 arrests) compared to the 12month period to the end of April 2023.
Under Operation Táirge, in the 12month period to April 2024 - April 2025 the number of court proceedings (charges/ summonses) for Theft from Shop has increased by over 30 per cent (over 20,200 charges/ summonses) compared to the 12 month period to end of April 2023.
Organised retail crime (ORC) typically refers to situations where a number of persons are acting together, targeting retailer outlets to steal significant quantities of goods to resell back into the retail supply chain through the black market. It can also involve refund fraud with the purpose of making a financial or material benefit. ORC is usually co-ordinated and well-organised by people who recruit others to commit theft from retailers.
Crimes Against the Person
Fraud Offences
At the end of 2024 An Garda Síochána highlighted that there was likely to be an increase in volume for crime statistics under the Fraud, Deception and Related Offences category as the high volume of section 19 referrals are processed.
Sexual Offences
Domestic Abuse
Criminal Damage and Public Order
Drugs Offences (+1 per cent) and Offensive Weapons Offences (-2 per cent) are on par with Q1 2024
An Garda Síochána commenced Operation TARA in July 2021 As of June 30, 2022, 312 Gardaí (all ranks) are full time assigned to Divisional Drugs Units nationwide.
During Q1 2025 An Garda Síochána Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) seized Drugs worth €21.7 million (subject to analysis).
During Q1 2025 Fatal and Serious Road Traffic Collisions decreased by -40 per cent
During Q1 2025 there were over 11,750 Road Traffic Collisions reported to An Garda Síochána. An overall reduction -7 per cent in Road Traffic Collisions, however this is still 130 Road Traffic Collisions every day.
Up to March 31, 2025 An Garda Síochána, and GoSafe, have issued approximately 31,800 Fixed Charge Notices (FCN) for Speeding Offences.
Up to March 31, 2025 An Garda Síochána has issued over a further 39,000 Fixed Charge Notices (FCN) including (approximately)
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