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Fairco’s summer security tips for Dublin homeowners

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Fairco’s summer security tips for Dublin homeowners

 

Homeowners should not get complacent coming into the summer months, despite a drop in burglaries across Dublin, Fairco Windows & Doors have warned.

Although days are getting longer, homeowners should not ease up on home security measures, according to the Fairco MD. He has advised security authorities on burglary prevention over the past decade, believes that summer brings a rise in opportunist criminals.

“Homeowners should not let down their guard in the summer months by making simple mistakes like leaving doors and windows open.”

“Many people leave windows and front doors open while sitting in their back garden having a barbecue with friends, not knowing that opportunist burglars are often lurking.

“Most burglars of this type just drive into an estate or area looking for an open point of entry to get an opportunity to be in and out in minutes with your valuables.

“It’s summer and that means more daylight hours but burglars don’t always hide under the shadow of night. If the window is large enough to stick your head through, it’s large enough to break-into.

“Leave your window open enough for ventilation but not for access,” he added.

Dublin North

The number of burglaries in the area has fallen by 475 from 2,173 in 2015 to 1,698 last year, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO)

Raheny saw the biggest slump in burglaries with figures plummeting by 43%, from 144 to the latest figure of 82, according to statistics

Incidents in Lusk were also reduced significantly, according to the latest data which showed a 42% decrease, from 91 to the latest figure of 53.

This was followed in Howth where homeowners were safer by 30%, down from 166 to 117, while Santry saw break-ins fall by 33% to 370 from the 2015 tally of 248.

The downward trend continued in Skerries where there was a 29% drop in burglaries, from 62 incidents in 2015 to 44 last year.

Garristown showed a decrease of 23% on the 2015 figure of 22 which fell to 17 in 2016 and there was a drop of six percent in Malahide from 158 burglaries to 149 last year.

In Balbriggan, a drop of eight per cent in burglaries was recorded, from 151 in 2015 to 139 last year, while over in Ballymun, figures fell by just one incident from 99 in 2015 to 98 in 2016.

The latest data also showed a falls of 20% in Clontarf, from 297 to 238,  18pc in Coolock where burglaries decreased from 270 to 238 and 16% in Swords where the latest tally was 239, from 284 the previous year.

Dublin South

The number of burglaries in the area has fallen by 701 from 2,301 in 2015 to 1,600 last year, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO)

Tallaght saw the biggest slump in burglaries with figures plummeting by nearly 42%, from 829 to 483, according to the statistics.

In Rathfarnham, homeowners were safer by almost 36%, down from 525 to 337, while Terenure saw break-ins fall by 25% to 196 from the 2015 tally of 263.

There were 264 burglaries in Crumlin in 2015 which fell to 201 last year and the downward trend followed in Rathmines which saw an 18% decrease in incidents last year, from 226 to 185.

Only in the Sundrive Rd. area was an increased amount of burglaries shown in the recent data.  Here the number rose by four, from 194 to 198 to give a 2% increase.

Dublin East

The number of burglaries in the area has fallen by 451 from 2,293 in 2015 to 1,842 last year, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO)

Blackrock saw the biggest slump in burglaries with figures plummeting by nearly 29%, from 419 to 298, according to the statistics.

In Dundrum, homeowners were safer by just over 26%, down from 778 to 573, while Shankhill saw break-ins fall by almost 24% to 191 from the 2015 tally of 250.

The downward trend continued in Cabinteely where there was a 17% drop in burglaries, from 427 burglaries in 2015 to 356 last year.

Only in Dun Laoighaire was an increased amount of burglaries shown in the recent data.  Here the number rose by five, from 419 to 424 to give a one per cent increase.

Dublin West

The number of burglaries in the area has fallen by 753 from 2,392 in 2015 to 1,639 last year, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO)

Ballyfermot saw the biggest slump in burglaries with figures plummeting by 54%, from 271 to the latest figure of 126, according to statistics

Incidents in Clondalkin were also reduced significantly, according to the latest data which showed a 49% decrease, from 476 to the latest figure of 244,

This was closely followed in Ronanstown where homeowners were safer by 47%, down from 293 to 155, while Lucan saw break-ins fall by almost 39% to 172 from the 2015 tally of 280.

The downward trend continued in Rathcoole where there was a 33% drop in burglaries, from 143 incidents in 2015 to 96 last year.

Cabra showed a decrease of 30% on the 2015 figure of 110 which fell to 77 in 2016 and there was a slight drop of four percent in Blanchardstown from 546 burglaries to 523 last year.

In Finglas, a 10% drop in burglaries was recorded, from 273 in 2016 to 246 last year.

About Fairco

Dublin company Fairco Windows and Doors were the first Irish company to achieve the ‘police-preferred specification’ PAS 024 certification and their windows and doors are high security as standard.

The firm also launched Ireland’s first guaranteed burglar-proof windows and doors which are impossible to breach.

“A human being cannot generate enough force to break into these windows and doors, and any traditional methods used by burglars have been closed off thanks to a series of enhanced high-security measures.”

“Our windows have never been penetrated in a domestic situation, and I doubt if they will be.”

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Alarms and CCTV hold no fear for burglars

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Alarms and CCTV hold no fear for burglars

 

jimBurglar alarms and CCTV systems hold no fear for a new breed of organised urban burglars who are planning and executing up to ten raids a day in a particular area, Fairco owner Jim Toal has warned.

Electronic signal jammers which can be bought for as little as €40 and simple hoodies to prevent identification are being used as professional burglary gangs ignore traditional deterrents and can break into homes in as little as nine seconds.

Jim Toal, who has advised security authorities on burglary prevention over the past decade, believes that planned burglaries have replaced opportunism for criminals.

Read Jim’s warning in the Irish Independent here.

“The day of the opportunistic burglar is gone. The new generation plan and execute their burglaries professionally,” said Jim, Managing Director of Fairco Windows and Doors, who have recently launched Ireland’s first guaranteed burglar-proof windows and doors.

“Burglars now typically operate in groups and will take time to drive around an area and identify 10-12 houses which fit their ideal criteria,” said Jim.

“In an urban setting, these criteria can include the houses of elderly people who may regularly go to mass or the shops and leave the house unattended, houses that are surrounded by hedges or may have large vehicles parked outside to block the view from the street.

Fairco's latest warning to homeowners featured on the front page of the Irish Independent.
Fairco’s latest warning to homeowners featured on the front page of the Irish Independent (Feb 22, 2016).

“Basically, they are looking for unattended houses where they can go about their business for the best part unseen.

“The new breed of burglar is not phased by alarms and will either jam the system or is prepared to take the chance that neighbours or passers by will ignore the ringing.

“They are secure in the knowledge that they have a time window as long as the occupier is not near the house, as the Gardai will not immediately attend a ringing alarm unless the householder rings them.

“When it comes to more sophisticated alarm systems, burglary teams are taking the chance that the alarm is monitored through the phone line and simply remotely copying the IP address of the transmission system and jamming the alarm.

“These transmission jammers are readily available to would-be thieves for as little as €40, and are operational up to a 30 metre radius.

“Any device that is built to transmit or receive a wireless signal at a specific frequency can be overwhelmed by a stronger signal coming in on the same frequency – and that is what these cheap GSM, 3G and 4G devices are doing.

“Most burglars wear long hoods that mask their faces from above, meaning that they circumvent many CCTV systems which, even in normal circumstances, are not capable of zooming right in to give a clear picture of a burglar’s face.

“The average burglar now has all the tools of the trade to break and enter into an average home, regardless of whether an alarm or CCTV system is fitted or not.

“There really is only one way to prevent burglaries, and that is to make it impossible for the burglar to gain access to your house – and that’s what we have done, at very little extra cost.”

Fairco are offering to give householders €3,000 if an intruder even attempts to gain access to their home through Ireland’s first guaranteed burglar-proof windows and doors.

“A human being cannot generate enough force to break into these windows and doors, and any traditional methods used by burglars have been closed off thanks to a series of enhanced high-security measures,” said Jim, who advises Neighbourhood Watch schemes on anti-burglary measures.

“Our windows have never been penetrated in a domestic situation, and I doubt if they will be.

The company offer an insurance-backed guarantee against intrusion to the windows and doors, which also carry an independently certified Police-backed PAS certificate for every component part.

“Because there is no give in the locks, hinges, hinge guards or the sash and frame the window won’t open but more than likely it will be damaged in any attempted break-in, and will need to be replaced,” said Jim.

New trends in burglaries:

  • Chain burglaries: The burglary gang stations a number of members armed with walkie talkies at strategic points including the local Garda station, giving the intruders a two-minute warning of any interruption.
  • Spider burglaries: Criminals are using spikes to scale homes fitted with external wall insulation, gaining access through upstairs windows. Burglars know that most homes do not have alarms on their upstairs windows and they are gaining purchase due to the porous nature of the external wall insulation.
  • The battering ram: This is prevalent in sites close to the M50 and major motorways. Burglars are using a battering ram, similar to that seen in raids on US TV shows to break down the average front door, and walking on to steal the keys of high-powered or valuable cars. The thieves escape on the motorway network before the Gardai can arrive.
  • The drone: Burglars are now using drones to scope out the contents of yards. This is a risk where high-value machinery is involved.

Learn more about Fairco’s guaranteed burglar-proof windows and doors here.