asked the Minister for Justice the total number of stolen cars reported in this country in the past five years; and the number recovered.
Written Answers. - Stolen Cars.
71.
Limerick East): It is assumed that the question is intended to include cars taken without the owner's consent even though in most cases this is not stealing in the legal sense.
The total number of larcenies of cars in the period 1977 to 1981 inclusive was 2,334 of which 452 were recovered.
In addition, in the same period there were 97,083 unauthorised takings of motor vehicles, which term, of course, includes cars, motor-cycles, vans and so on. A breakdown of the number of cars included in this figure is not available. All of those vehicles were recovered. It will, of course, be appreciated that it is only if a vehicle is recovered that the Garda can normally have information that enables them to classify it as a "taking without consent" rather than stealing, though of course not all vehicles recovered are or can be so classified.
The 1982 Crime Report has not yet been completed.