Over 90% increase in city burglaries

There has been a 91.2% increase in the number of burglaries entered into the Garda PULSE system in Cork city in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

In Q2 2025, there were 68 burglary incidents recorded by gardaí in Cork city compared to 130 incidents in Q2 2026.

The figures were released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) as part of its Recorded Crime database. The figures are divided by Garda region.

Cork saw the highest increase during this period, followed by Clare/Tipperary (81.9%), and Cork County (51.4%).

Taken together, Cork City and County had a combined increase of 30.6% in Q2, from 124 to 162 recorded incidents. Nationally, there was an increase of 23.2%, from 1300 to 1601 in the same period.

However, the figures paint a different story in Dublin. Across the six garda divisions in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, there was a 27.6% decrease in recorded burglary incidents in the period in question.

Earlier this year, An Garda Síochána extended its high-visibility policing strategy to suburbs outside of Dublin city centre.

The increase in Q2 is stark compared to Q1 for both years, with increases in the latter period across all divisions. In Q1 2026, Cork City saw an increase of 21.4%, putting it in eighth place nationally. First place in this period went to Kerry, which saw a 141.7% increase, from 24 incidents in 2025 to 58 in 2026.

Duncan Osborne, Managing Director at Phonewatch. said that the trends were a reminder that burglary continues to be a real concern for households across the country.

"It is encouraging to see significant reductions in parts of Dublin, Kerry and Donegal, but the sharp increases in Cork and Clare/Tipperary garda divisions show that no area can afford to be complacent.

"Nothing matters more that knowing your family and home are protected. At PhoneWatch, we're dedicated to helping homeowners stay one step ahead of intruders with 24/7 professional monitoring and a 15 second alarm response time.

"With the darker evening arriving, I would urge every homeowner to review their home security now, before the riskiest time of the year begins," he said. He recommended a number of measures homeowners can employ to reduce the risk of burglaries.

These include locking all doors and windows, making the house look occupied, keeping external areas well-lit, storing valuables securely, and installing a monitored home alarm system.