Fraud offences rose 73% in first half of year

Fraud offences increased by 73% in the first half of the year, according to the latest Garda crime statistics.

Of the different categories of fraud, the incidence of bogus tradespeople was up 57% comparing the first six month of 2025 with the corresponding period in 2024.

In terms of property crime, aggravated burglary was down by 25%, while non-aggravated burglary fell by 12%.

Gardaí noted that burglary was down significantly in both the northwestern and southern regions, back 31% and 33% respectively.

Gardaí noted that a decade on, Operation Thor has successfully reduced the rate of winter burglaries. It has led to a 75% decrease in residential burglaries since its introduction in 2015.

Target

“Operation Thor actively targets organised crime gangs and repeat offenders through co-ordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends,” a statement from gardaí said.

Crimes of robbery from a person or establishment were both back by almost a quarter, at 24% and 23% respectively.

Incidences of criminal damage excluding arson were back 14%, while arson was up 20%. Public order offences rose by 8% in the first half of this year.

Overall, CSO figures show Ireland has recorded a 7% reduction in crime from 2019 to 2024 while undergoing a 9.3% increase in population since 2019.