Dramatic rise in robbery and hijacking offences

The latest crime statistics have revealed that robbery, hijacking, theft and burglary offences have seen a dramatic rise in Laois/Offaly in the first nine months of this year when compared to the same period. The figures, released on Tuesday by the Central Statistics Office have shown a 125% increase in the number of robbery, extortion and hijacking offences recorded in the Laois/Offaly Garda Division. Some 27 such offences were recorded in the Laois/Offaly Garda Division between January and September this year, compared to 12 for the same period last year. Similarly theft and related offences have increased by 13.6% for the first nine months of the year, when compared to the same period last year, in the Garda division, while burglary and related offences have increased by 9.5% on last year. Gardai have recorded 1,413 theft and related offences from January to September this year, compared to 1,243 for the same period last year. The number of theft offences remained fairly static over the three quarters of the year, with 454 such offences recorded in quarter one, 495 recorded in the second quarter and 464 such offences recorded between July and September. Some 517 burglary and related offences were recorded in Laois/Offaly for the first nine months of the year, compared to 472 for the same period this year. Burglaries have jumped slightly in the last three months, when compared to the previous quarter, with 207 such offences recorded between July and September, compared to 133 in the previous three months and 177 in the first three months of the year. Fraud, deception and related offences also increased in the first nine months of the year, from 98 offences last year, compared to 107 this year, an increase of 9.2%. The number of weapons and explosives offences recorded in the Laois/Offaly Garda Division also jumped, with 74 recorded for the first nine months of this year, compared to 51 for the same period last year, a rise of 45%. Sexual offences increased by 13% from 23 for the first nine months last year, compared to 26 recorded between January and September this year. All other offence categories are on the slide in Laois/Offaly, with homicide offences decreasing by 66%, from three for the first nine months last year to one for the same period this year. Dangerous or negligent acts, which takes in dangerous driving, drink driving, abandoning a child etc, dropped by 36% from 467 for the first nine months last year to 296 for the same period this year. Similarly, there was a drop in attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences, 395 recorded between January and September this year, compared to 416 for the first nine months of last year, a drop of 5%. No kidnapping and related offences were recorded in the Garda division for the first nine months of the year, compared to two for the same period last year. Controlled drug offences decreased by 45% from 677 from January to September last year to 367 for the first three quarters of this year. Damage to property and to the environment accounted for 832 offences recorded in Laois/Offaly for the first nine months of this year, compared to 839 for the same period last year, a drop of 0.8%. Offences against government, justice procedures and organisation of crime accounted for 126 offences between January and September this year, compared to 165 for the first nine months of 2008, a drop of 23.6%. Similarly, public order and social code offences decreased, with 951 such offences recorded in the first nine months of this year, compared to 973 for last year, a decrease of 2.2%. In total 5,132 offences were recorded in Laois/Offaly for the first nine months of this year, a 5.7% decrease on last year's figure for the same period of 5,441.