Rise in robbery, extortion and hijacking offences – CSO

There has been an increase in robbery, extortion and hijacking offences, according to the CSO crime figures published today.

The rise has been driven by increases in blackmail and robbery from people.

Thefts from shops increased again while fraud and weapons and explosives offences were also up.

Reported sexual offences continue to fall.

The figures compare recorded crime statistics in the twelve months up to the end of March of this year with the previous twelve months.

Blackmail, extortion, robbery and carjacking offences increased by 18%, while there were also increases in theft offences, from people, shops and in the theft of cars.

More than two out of every five theft offences were from shops.

While homicide offences and murder were down, there has been an increase in other organised crime offences.

There were more than 16,800 drug offences recorded over the twelve-month period with increases in drug importation and drug dealing.

Gun and explosive offences also increased by 10%, with more shootings and more people caught with guns.

There was an 11% increase in arson offences, which Gardai said could be linked to the increase in attacks on buildings either proposed for or wrongly believed to be prepared as accommodation for international protection applicants.

Dangerous driving causing death increased by a third, and while cases of drink driving were down, drug driving offences increased.

Fraud offences also increased by 9% to more than 11,400 crimes but have reduced substantially from its height of over 17,000 offences annually during the Covid pandemic.

Sexual offences decreased across all categories.

Men are still more likely to be the victims of crime.

The number of male victims of attempted murder, assault, harassment and related offences rose by 2%, while the number of female victims was down by 9%.