Gardaí warn Wicklow residents as winter nights bring renewed burglary fears

By Darragh McCann, The Wicklow People

With winter slowly creeping in and the evenings drawing darker, gardaí are warning Wicklow residents to be on their guard against a potential rise in burglaries.

Burglaries across Wicklow rose by 17pc in 2025 to a staggering 400 incidents, marking the highest level recorded in the past five years.

The winter phase of Operation Thor got underway on October 1, with gardaí also launching their Light Up campaign as part of efforts to prevent burglaries and protect homes and businesses across the county.

Launched in 2015, Operation Thor was established to tackle organised crime groups and target repeat offenders involved in burglary and related offences.

Statistics show that burglaries can increase during the winter months, when longer hours of darkness can provide greater opportunities for criminals to target properties.

Garda figures also show that the majority of burglaries are committed between Friday and Saturday, particularly between 4pm and 10pm.

Crime prevention officer for Wicklow, Sergeant John Fitzpatrick, advised homeowners to consider using dusk-to-dawn lighting alongside sensor lighting around their properties.

However, he warned homeowners to make sure any additional lighting does not interfere with CCTV or other security cameras.

One area gardaí will be focusing on this winter is vehicles, amid concerns over a rise in car burglaries.

Sgt Fitzpatrick advised motorists to make sure their vehicles are properly secured and not to leave valuables on display.

He also highlighted the importance of taking extra care of ensuring vehicles are locked, particularly Japanese imports.

Previously, the crime prevention officer urged owners to fit visible steering wheel locks, chains or pedal locks.

He explained that most thieves are looking for an easy target and will often move on if a vehicle takes too long to steal.

Tracking devices are also strongly recommended, as they not only improve the chances of recovering stolen vehicles but can also provide valuable assistance to gardaí during investigations.

Gardaí are also advising homeowners to consider using key lockboxes, but warned against leaving spare keys in obvious locations or under doormats.

As Christmas approaches, gardaí are also warning homeowners to be mindful of leaving cash, jewellery and other valuable items easily accessible.

Garda statistics show that around 70 pc of items stolen during burglaries include cash and jewellery.

The sergeant described these items as “craved objects” because they are accessible, valuable and easy to dispose of.