Members of the Garda Síochána have done a good job responding to planned burglaries and related offences, particularly those involving Dublin-based gangs that brought violent assaults and fear to rural Ireland. A rise in the number of burglaries, early last year, was followed by intense police activity, higher detection rates and further arrests. The establishment of Operation Thor in 2015, in response to an increase in the number of violent burglaries by city-based gangs, represented a turning point in policing activity. Violent assaults and robberies do take place, generating fear and outrage. The fact remains that the majority of burglaries, including those involving threats, assaults and worse, take place in urban settings.

Source: The Irish Times May 14, 2018 23:03 UTC