Theft and robbery increased at a much higher rate in regional areas of the country compared with Dublin in the year to September, new figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.

Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences increased 53% in the southern region of the country in the first nine months of the year.

That is compared with a 13% increase in the Dublin metropolitan region in the same period.

The north-western region recorded a 41% increase and in the eastern region crime of this type was up 30%.

Robbery in this instance is classified as involving force or the threat of force. Theft is classified as being nonviolent.

Theft

Theft also increased significantly in regional areas compared with Dublin.

In the northwest, theft and related offences increased by 27% in the year to September.

Theft offences were up 22% in the east and 17% in the south.

That is compared to an 11% increase in theft in the Dublin metropolitan area to the third quarter of the year.

Fraud

On the other hand, certain crimes decreased at a higher level in regional areas.

Fraud, deception and related offences decreased 30% in both the north-western and southern regions in the year to September.

A 27% fall in this type of crime was recorded in the east.

The lowest decrease was 25% in the Dublin metropolitan region.

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New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that theft and robbery increased at a much higher level in regional areas compared with Dublin.