As the darker evenings draw in, Gardaí have heralded the winter phase of Operation Thor – with some timely advice on preventing burglaries in the home, particularly in rural or isolated areas.

And key to combatting this crime is ensuring a light in your house from dusk every evening, whether you’re there or not – because a dark house is the signal a would-be burglar is looking for.

Operation Thor was designed to combat that expected increase in burglaries during the longer dark evenings – and ahead of the clocks changing at the end of the month, Gardaí say that now is the time to consider security in your home.

Established a decade ago, Thor targets organised criminal gangs and repeat offenders through co-ordinated crime prevention and intelligence-led enforcement activity.

Nationally, the level of residential burglary during the winter (October – March) has fallen by 75% since the commencement of Operation Thor in 2015.

This is contrary to international research which would suggest that there is an increase in burglary during the winter months, when daylight hours are at the lowest level.

Crime Prevention Officer for Galway, Sergeant Olivia Fleming, revealed that the most common time for burglaries to occur during the winter is evening time between 5pm and 11pm.

“During those hours, it’s quite easy to pick out a vacant property if it’s in darkness. No light means nobody is at home, and this provides an easy target for the opportunistic burglar,” she said.

“An Garda Síochána’s winter burglary message is ‘Lock Up and Light Up’. By leaving on a light or switching one on with a timer switch after 5pm, creates the impression somebody is at home.

“While we’re all conscious of energy costs, LED bulbs are much cheaper to run and provide whiter brighter light. Smart bulbs, which connect to your Wi-Fi, can be programmed or controlled via a mobile app for added convenience,” she added.

Sgt Fleming’s other key tips are to keep gates closed, and lock all doors, windows and outhouses using good quality locks and consider secondary retrofit locks. Don’t keep large amounts of cash at home – and use an alarm or video doorbell as a deterrent.

“Lock Up is a pretty obvious crime prevention measure,” she said.

“Ensure all doors and windows have a good standard locking mechanism. Door and window security standards are important, as standards mean the item has been tested to withstand a criminal attack for a prolonged period.

“Sheds and outhouses should also remain locked up, as should any valuable machinery or tools within.

“While a good quality padlock is recommended on the door, consider chaining together or anchoring down items such as lawnmowers, bicycles, boat engines and any other items that may not be in use over the winter.

“Security is all about layers, and the first physical layer of security is your boundary wall, fence and gate.

“Keeping gates closed is a great deterrent as you’re laying out your patch, marking your territory – and anyone crossing that line uninvited or unauthorised is trespassing. So if you have entrance gates onto your property, my advice is to get into setting the good habit of keeping them closed.

“Good lighting outside your property and a house alarm also act as a good deterrent. Video doorbells are popular and are a cost effective security measure,” said Sgt Fleming.

She added that burglars are looking for cash and expensive jewellery. So with that in mind you should not keep large amounts of cash at home. Jewellery should be worn or stored in a safe or safety deposit box.

The free Garda Property App is also very useful as it allows people to index and record their personal property, such as jewellery. You can download the app today from the Android or iOS App Stores and start logging all valuables.

Pictured: Timely advice.. Crime Prevention Officer for Galway, Sergeant Olivia Fleming.