Sharp rise in property crime in Cork city this year

Property crime has shown a sharp increase in Cork city in the first five months of this year, with shoplifting up 66%, a meeting of the Cork City Joint Policing Committee (JPC) has heard.

While gardaí have recorded static levels or decreases in some categories of crime, overall, property crimes are up from 1,494 in the same period of 2022 to 1,918 in the first five months of 2023, an increase of 28%.

Thefts from shops in Cork city are up from 530 between January 1 and May 31 2022 to 881 in the same period in 2023, an increase of 66%.

This spike was also reflected in figures presented to last week’s Cork County JPC meeting, which saw Cork North and Cork West also experienced increases in the same period, going up by 51 incidents and 13 incidents respectively.

While figures for the crime of theft or the unauthorized taking of a vehicle are down from 155 to 127, a decrease of 18%, figures for interfering with a vehicle with the intent to steal an item or the vehicle are up from 77 to 133, an increase of 73%.

Figures for theft from vehicles are up 24%, from 136 in the first five months of 2022 to 169 in the same period of 2023.

Thefts of bicycles are up 18%, from 61 to 72, and handling or possession of stolen property is up 17%, from 12 in 2022 to 14 in 2023.

While figures for robbery from the person are up from 28 to 31, marking an 11% increase, figures for burglary, not aggravated, are down from 114 to 95, representing a drop of 17%.

Chief Superintendent Tom Myers, who is in charge of policing in the Cork City division, described the burglary figure as “very encouraging” for An Garda Síochánna.

On the issue of thefts from vehicles, Chief Supt Myers said that many people leave their vehicles unlocked, which makes them attractive targets for thieves, and he stressed that he would encourage vehicle owners to always lock their vehicles.

Crimes against the person are down by 16% overall, from 660 to 556 in the first five months of 2023.

Rapes and sexual assaults are down from 78 to 73 in the same period, representing a drop of 6%.

Criminal damage cases are down from 513 to 466, a decrease of 9%, while public order offences were down from 900 to 689, marking a decrease of 23%.

Chief Supt Myers said that he was very proud of the work of his colleagues, and he felt that, overall, crime figures in the city were quite good.