The North West has seen a significant rise in home burglaries within the last year.
The Sligo/Leitrim region saw the highest increase in burglaries over the last 12 months.
According to the latest figures released by PhoneWatch, there was a 25% rise in home break-ins in the area, with a total of 162 in both Sligo and Leitrim over the last year.
There was also an increase to be seen in Donegal, with 146 burglaries there contributing to a 9% surge.
While there was also a significant rise in Mayo at 17%, the second highest in the country, it would appear that the figures in the west are an outlier, as nationwide, burglaries have actually decreased by 8%.
PhoneWatch have also warned people to be vigilant, as burglary rates often go up over winter months. Research shows a 20% increase in the final quarter of the year, with 64% of people also saying they feel less safe in their homes at night.
The full report can be accessed here: https://www.phonewatch.ie/burglaryreport
