Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 June 2021
186. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice the number of pedal cycles reported stolen to gardaí in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35209/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, theft is an offence under section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. Anyone convicted of a theft offence is liable to a fine or up to 10 years imprisonment. Under section 14 of the Act, a person found guilty of robbery (theft using coercion or force) is potentially liable on conviction on indictment to life imprisonment. As the Deputy will appreciate, the sentence in any individual case is a matter for the presiding Judge.
The table below, which has been provided to me the Central Statistics Office (CSO), sets out the number of recorded incidents of bicycle theft in 2020 and up to end quarter 1 of 2021. Please note that these crime statistics are published under reservation.
|
Recorded incidents of bicycle theft 2020 to quarter 1, 2021 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Incident type - 0824 Theft/Unauthorised taking of a pedal cycle - Source data from An Garda Síochána |
5,229 |
812 |
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) produce regular quarterly updates on the crime figures and make these available on their website at the following link:
www.cso.ie/en/statistics/crimeandjustice/recordedcrime-statisticsunderreservation/
The next quarterly release will include the period from 1st April 2021 to 30th June. In the interim, I am advised by the Garda authorities that a search of the PULSE database was conducted on the 28 June 2021 to identify any incidents of theft or unauthorised taking of a pedal cycle reported between 1 April 2021 and 27 June 2021 inclusive. An Garda Síochána confirm that 1,057 incidents of bicycle theft were reported during this period. These figures are operational and may be liable to change. Crime counting rules are applied.
The Deputy may be aware that there are a number of initiatives being taken by An Garda Síochána to tackle bike theft, including the ‘Lock it or Lose it’ initiative which was announced on 13 May and which focuses on reminding the public to take extra precautions to keep their bikes safe by locking them in the most secure way possible.
The Blue Bike scheme has also been designed to highlight bike theft hotspots by placing an end of life bike, painted blue, in such areas with a large sign, warning members of the public to lock their bikes and be aware of bike theft. This scheme has three goals:
1. To warn the public that bike thieves are operating in the area;
2. To deter crime by informing offenders that An Garda Síochána are monitoring the area; and
3. To thereby create a safer place for members of the public to lock and secure their bikes.
I am informed that, in addition to the ‘Lock it or Lose it’ and Blue Bike initiatives, Gardaí will be resuming property marking schemes and the use of so-called ‘bait bicycles’ in areas which have been identified as bike theft hotspots as we emerge from COVID-19. Other responses that will be pursued by Gardaí include surveillance of known offenders, the monitoring of any offenders’ current bail conditions and where necessary the appropriate action of any breach of their bail with the relevant courts, and proactive policing, both overt and covert, of hotspot areas.
