The number of crime incidents recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE database which were classified as Fraud, deception and related offences has continued to increase in Q3 2021, with the total number of fraud incidents recorded in the twelve months to September 2021 being just over 13,500; up by more than 70%, or 5,600 incidents, compared to the previous year. As reported in the previous Recorded Crime release, the increase is largely driven by unauthorised transactions and attempts to obtain personal or banking information online or by phone.

The number of crimes recorded in most other crime incident type categories fell in the year to September 2021 compared to the previous year, for example in Burglary and related offences (down by 4,742, or 36.1%), Theft and related offences (down by 11,165, or 19.8%) and Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences (down by 376, or 18.2%). The number of crime incidents classified as Weapons and explosives offences fell by 461, or 15.2%. See Table 1.1 and Figure 1.1.

The number of Homicide offences recorded in the year to Q3 2021 was considerably lower than in the previous year (down 40, -48.8%), with the combined number of Murder and Manslaughter incidents falling by 15. There were 25 fewer incidents classified as Dangerous driving leading to death, although this figure may change as investigations into fatal road traffic collisions conclude over time. Sexual offences increased by 286 (+9.5%) in the 12 months to September compared to the previous year.

A total of 516 crime incidents were recorded on PULSE for breaches of COVID-19 regulations during Q3 2021. This figure was significantly lower than in previous quarters, reflecting the relatively low level of COVID-19 restrictions compared to earlier quarters. The figure includes unpaid fines and other offences but does not include fines which were paid. The offences are not included in the statistical tables in this publication due to difficulties aligning them with the existing statistical classification.

In September 2020, as part of the Recorded Crime Q2 2020 publication, the CSO introduced two additional tables (See Table 1.2 and Table 1.3) within the Recorded Crime quarterly publication which specifically looked at the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on Recorded Crime statistics by comparing crime statistics in the latest quarter with figures from the equivalent quarter one year earlier. Users should note the varying levels of COVID-19 restrictions which were in place for 2020 and 2021 when analysing the data in this publication. The CSO will continue to publish these tables for the remaining quarters in reference year 2021.

As in the previous reporting quarter, the number of crime incidents recorded by An Garda Síochána during Q3 2021 which were classified as Fraud, deception and related offences was the highest quarterly total for fraud incidents since the CSO began compiling Recorded Crime statistics in 2006. A total of 4,171 fraud incidents were recorded between July and September 2021, which was more than double (+115.8%) the number of fraud incidents recorded in Q3 2020. 

The numbers of crime incidents in Q3 2021 classified as Controlled drug offences and as Weapons and explosives offences were both down considerably on the corresponding period in 2020, by 23.9% and by 27.7% respectively. See Table 1.2 and Figure 1.2.

This section provides additional detail on Group 03 incidents (Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences), as users may be interested in the demographic breakdown of victims of this crime group. Note that the number of victims highlighted in this section will not match the number of incidents in Table 1.2 above as there may, in limited circumstances, be incidents where no injured party is recorded.

The overall number of persons recorded as victims of Group 03 incidents (Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences) during Q3 2021 was 556 higher (+11.3%) than in the corresponding period in 2020. The numbers of male victims and female victims were both higher (by 13.1% for males, and 9.1% for females) than a year earlier. Among males, the number of victims aged 18-29 increased by 231, or 34.7% compared to a year earlier, while those aged 30-44 increased by 152 (+19.7%). The number of victims aged under 18 decreased; down by 18.6% for males aged under 18, and down by 10.9% for females aged under 18. See Table 1.3 and Figure 1.3.