The Dublin region accounted for almost half of all burglaries in the country in the first three months of this year, new figures reveal.
According to the Central Statistics Office, 48% of all burglary related incidents recorded in Ireland in the first quarter of 2019 occurred in Dublin.
This represents a 9% increase on the same period in 2018.
A total of 4,226 incidents were recorded in Ireland between January and March 2019, with 2,011 being recorded in the Dublin region.
The Dublin West Garda Division recorded the highest number of burglaries with 488.
This represents a shocking 40% increase on the same period in 2018.
Summer time traditionally sees a drop in burglaries but CEO of home monitoring company HomeSecure, Colm Daly, warned householders to remain vigilant and not share holiday photos and statuses as they may alert burglars to homes being empty.
He added: "In the summer months, it’s particularly important to use simple home security measures.
"With almost one in four summer burglaries gaining access to your home through an unsecured access point, just locking your doors and windows is a big positive step towards securing your home."
Only two of Dublin's six Garda Divisions recorded a decrease in burglaries compared to the same period last year.
Dublin North Central experienced a decrease of 22% from 183 to 142, while the Dublin East Division recorded 27% less burglaries compared to the first quarter of 2019.
