End of lockdown brings upsurge in serious assaults and shoplifting

And serious assaults and public order offences have also spiked so far this year compared with last year, as the economy opens up again after lengthy lockdowns.

Garda Chief Superintendent Tom Curley that shoplifting had increased by 106% in the first five months of this year compared with the five months to the end of May in 2021.

There were some 282 thefts from city shops in the five months of 2022, an increase of 145 compared with the same period last year.

“The opening up of society and the economy has led to an increase in shoplifting,” Chief Supt Curley told the Galway City Joint Policing Committee meeting on Monday.

However, he said that one positive statistic that was not in his crime report was that detections for shoplifting are running at about 86%, which was high.

In many cases CCTV footage and/or security guards in shops can help with the detections.

Thefts from vehicles increased by 26% to 93 offences during the first five months of this year, and a number of arrests had been made in relation to these thefts and people would be prosecuted through the District Court.

He warned that many of the thefts from cars and vans were by opportunistic thieves who stole items from vehicles that were unlocked.

Chief Supt Curley confirmed there was a massive increase in serious assaults in Galway City in the five months to the end of May.

There were 59 assaults during that period he said, which was an increase of 42 assaults, or 247%.

Chief Supt Curley said that the opening up of society was to blame for assaults increasing again compared with last year, but he also said that some of them were related to ongoing feuds in the city and the county between rival families. Minor assaults were up by 30% to 142 incidents.

There were 225 public order offences recorded in Galway City in the five months to the end of May, up by 26% compared with the same period last year.

This was again due to the increased socialising and opening-up of the economy, the Chief Supt said.

In response to queries from Councillor Mike Crowe (FF), it was confirmed that a 24-hour Garda presence would be maintained in Eyre Square; this presence, according to Chief Supt Curley, was making a difference and had helped to reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour and assaults in Eyre Square.