This article is from page 6 of the 2012-01-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
SERIOUS crimes figures in Clare are down by almost one fifth in the last year, according to preliminary Garda figures.
Despite having to cope with a drop of 41 members in the Clare force since last March, An Garda Síochana in Clare has overseen a reduction in almost all crimes, with two exceptions – homicide and theft.
There were no murder cases in the county in 2010, with two people killed in 2011. These cases are now before the court.
While theft from the person has reduced by 75 per cent, general theft has increased by two per cent due to the increase in theft of domestic oil from private homes.
The theft of copper was also increasing these figures, although gardaí have prosecuted a number of gangs specialising in this theft in the last number of months.
Chief Superintendent John Kerins said that theft of copper reduced from 20 per cent in the first half of the year to just two per cent in the second half as a result of arrests and the reduction in the value of copper.
Theft of domestic oil continues to be an issue, with gangs specialising in this crime.
A group of plain clothes gardaí last week stopped a car in Sixmilebridge and arrested a group from Limerick who had sophisticated oil stifling equipment with them. The chief superintendent said that the strongest deterrents against such crimes and the best chance of a successful arrest are a good neighbourhood watch.
Sexual offences reported were also down last year by 15 per cent.
Many of the cases reported were also years old, in some cases older than the investigating garda, according to Ennis Superintendent Peter Duff.
In total the top 11 crimes had reduced by 18.6 per cent, with public order offences also reduced.
The supply and sales of drugs has reduced by 19 per cent in the last year with drug possession down 40 per cent. In total the gardaí from the Clare Division recorded 20,821 incidents on PULSE last year, an equivalent of 400 per week or 57 incidents per day.