Galway Bay fm newsroom - Crime in the county is down in the first 3 months of the year.
That’s according to the latest Garda figures which were presented at a meeting of the County Joint Policing Committee by Chief Superintendent of Galway Garda Division, Tom Curley this week.
The biggest drop was in theft from vehicles which is down 54 percent compared to the same period last year - despite a spate of thefts from vehicles in the Loughrea area last week.
The number of incidents of people driving without insurance has dropped by a third.
Burglaries and thefts are also down on last year's figures.
However, thefts from shops have almost doubled, with 63 recorded in the first three months of this year compared to 38 in the same period in 2018.
The Chief Super told the meeting of the county JPC that the increase is due to a zero tolerance policy taken by shop owners who wish to see offenders prosecuted.
The number of assualts causing harm has almost halfed - with 9 recorded in the first quarter of 2019 compared to 17 during the same period in 2018.
Minor assaults also decreased by 2 percent.
Chief Superintendent Curley told the meeting that the division has seen a 13 percent increase in sexual assaults.
He added that the Regional Protective Services Unit based in Galway - which investigates sexual abuse and domestic violence - will gain 3 full-time detective gardaí in the coming weeks.
This will bring the unit up to 15.
