A GARDA OPERATION focused on tackling high levels of burglaries in and around Dublin has resulted in 5,389 arrests over the last three years.
Operation Acer, started in early 2012 and is in force throughout the Dublin Metropolitan Region. Its aim is to identify and target criminal groups who have played a large part in the recent increase in burglaries.
Over the three years period of this operation, five people a day have been arrested over burglaries. There was also a total of 2,746 charges and 1,087 convictions for burglary.
This was helped by a connected garda operation which helped with the surveillance of Acer targets by monitoring the movements of burglary suspects.
In response to a recent parliamentary question from TD Thomas Broughan, Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said she is carrying out a “broader and urgent review” of the criminal justice system’s response to the problem of burglaries.
“This includes a focus on interagency measures in relation to the management of prolific offenders, visible policing, crime prevention support for communities, and an examination of legislative issues. Burglary is a persistent and highly damaging crime, and I am determined to tackle it on a number of fronts, and through a partnership approach between criminal justice agencies and the community.”
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