Issue Date: 13/04/2025
Residential burglaries dropped by 75% winter phase 2024/ 2025 compared to winter phase 2014/ 2015
- Residential burglaries in the 2024/ 2025 winter phase represents an average of approximately 17 burglaries per day across the 26 counties, or less than 1 residential burglary per day per county.
- In the 10 years of Operation Thor, recorded residential burglaries during the winter phase (October – March) have dropped by 75%
- Just over 3,000 residential burglaries reported in 2024/ 2025 winter phase compared to over 12,000 residential burglaries reported in 2014/ 2015 winter phase
Q4 2024 recorded residential burglaries -10% compared to Q4 2023, -3.5% compared to Q1 2024
- December 2024 lowest level of recorded residential burglary in month of December in 5 years
Q1 2025 recorded residential burglaries -16% compared to Q4 2024, -19% compared to Q1 2024
- March 2025 lowest level of recorded residential burglary since 2021
During the 24/ 25 winter phase under Operation Thor:
- Over 900 arrests for incidents linked to Operation Thor including Burglary, Aggravated Burglary, or Possession of an Article
- Over 2,000 charges linked to Operation Thor including Burglary, Aggravated Burglary, or Possession of an Article
Significant Operational successes during 24/ 25 Winter Phase against high-profile and prolific offenders included:
- Arrest of 3 males November 2024 following interception of a vehicle in Kildare, high powered blue BMW amongst other vehicles and items seized.
- Arrest of 3 males (1 juvenile) December 2024 following interception of a vehicle in Kildare, high powered Audi S1 car and other items seized.
- Arrest 1 male, Cork, December 2024
- Arrest 2 males Kerry January 2025
- Arrest 1 male, Limerick February 2025
- Arrest 1 male, Tipperary February 2025
- Three separate incidents involving the arrest of 3 males, 5 males and 2 males (all juveniles) in March 2025, stolen cars recovered in two operations
Speaking today, Detective Chief Superintendent Boland, GNDOCB said,
"An Garda Síochána understands and recognises the deeply traumatic impact on any person when their home or business premises is burgled. The violation of a person’s home is the ultimate invasion of privacy and often times, even if nothing of sentimental or monetary value is taken, the place never feels comfortable to a victim again.”
"An Garda Síochána takes a whole of organisation approach to tackling rural residential burglaries being carried out by organised crime groups. Significant detections carried out by Divisional Serious Crime units supported by National units clearly demonstrate An Garda Síochána’s determination to continue to detect and prevent these pernicious crimes.”
"An Garda Síochána recognises the long lasting impact any burglary has not just on the victim but on communities, both rural and urban. An Garda Síochána’s message is that we are here to help, we are here to protect and we continue to arrest and charge those involved in these insidious crimes”.
