Travelling criminals are suspected of being behind a recent spate of burglaries across County Galway.

At a meeting of the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) last Monday, Chief Superintendent Gerry Roche said there had been a number of break-ins on Thursday and Friday of last week.

“We have travelling criminals who will identify a vacant house and all the crime prevention in the world won’t stop them,” he said.

Local community and text alert systems were a help, he said, as Gardaí couldn’t be everywhere all the time and needed “eyes and ears on the ground”.

“Text alerts are useful if the community can get them up and going. It is a time of darkness, from October to April, and that is when people are most fearful. We need eyes and ears out there to help us,” said Chief Supt Roche.

Figures released to the JPC show a surge of burglaries in the county last year, jumping by 32% on the previous year’s figures to 278 in 2023 – an additional 67 such incidents.

Chief Data Analyst Olivia Maher told the JPC that this was the first year since Covid that figures were returning to the high 200s, having peaked at 302 in 2019.

In addition to burglaries in Abbeyknockmoy and Headford last Thursday, February 8, Gardaí in Galway have confirmed that they are also investigating a raid on a home at Derrycallan, Gort on Wednesday, February 7.

Two males were observed “acting suspiciously” near a property in the area which was later confirmed to have been broken into.

The males are believed to have had the use of a silver Ford Mondeo (possibly 2008 registration) and anyone with information is asked to contact Gort Garda Station on (091) 636400.

Gardaí in Athenry are investigation a burglary which took place on Thursday, February 8, at Raford, Kiltullagh where entry was gained to the house by breaking through the back door.

“The house was ransacked and items were taken from the house,” said the Garda statement.

Anyone who was in the area and noticed anything suspicious between the hours of 8.40pm and 9pm is asked to contact Athenry Garda Station on (091) 844016.