LATEST Garda statistics show that there has been an increase in the number of thefts from shops and from parked vehicles across West Cork.
At a meeting of the Cork County Joint Policing Committee (JPC) at County Hall, Chief Supt Vincent O’Sullivan outlined the crime and traffic statistics for the Cork West division from January to August 2023.
‘Incidents of burglary (not aggravated) have dropped from 50 at the same period last year to 38 from January to August this year,’ Chief Supt O’Sullivan said.
However, the incidents of theft from shops have increased from 87 in 2022 to 115 this year and theft from parked vehicles has increased from 20 to 37 over the same period.
The number of minor assaults in West Cork dropped slightly, from 174 in 2022 to 168 this year, with assaults causing harm standing at 45 incidents, up from 44 in 2022. There was also an increase in numbers of reports of criminal damage (not arson), public order offences, and drunkenness offences.
However, the number of arrests in West Cork for driving while intoxicated decreased from 132 in 2022 to 112 this year.
The numbers of reported rape cases rose considerably – from six in 2022 to 10 this year across West Cork, while figures for reports of sexual assault (not aggravated) dropped from 24 to 18 for 2023.
The number of domestic abuse cases reported to the gardaí has increased by 11% in West Cork since 2022.
Arrests for possession of drugs for sale or supply have dropped from 50 in 2022 to 41 in 2023, while the number of people found in possession of drugs for personal use increased slightly, from 125 to 128.
Outlining the latest road traffic statistics for West Cork, Chief Supt O’Sullivan noted that fatal traffic collisions had decreased while there has been an increase of almost 100 in reported traffic collisions (material damage only).
‘While, thankfully, fatal traffic collisions are down, there were still two deaths on the roads in West Cork this year,’ Chief Supt O’Sullivan told the committee.
Traffic collisions where there was serious or minor injury are both slightly down and the numbers of other road traffic incidences has increased. Latest figures also show a decrease in the numbers of reported fraud or other economic crimes, from 187 in 2022 to 153 this year.
‘The age profile of people effected by these crimes shows that those between the ages of 41 and 60 are most likely to be targeted, with the over 60s the next most vulnerable,’ Chief Supt O’Sullivan said.
‘I would appeal to anyone who might have been a victim of bogus texts, emails, or phone calls to report these to your local gardaí – the quicker you let us know, the more we can do, with the co-operation of other agencies, to stop those involved.’
