FRAUD offences have risen in the first half of the year, with new Garda figures showing a 73% increase compared to last year.
The major rise, detailed in provisional crime statistics released by An Garda Síochána, shows a complex picture of criminal activity across Ireland.
The sharpest rise among fraud categories was in forgery and the use of false instruments, which rose by 200%.
Other major increases included deception-related offences, which are up nearly 180%.
Online shopping fraud rose 166%, and money laundering increased by 82%.
Lesser but still notable increases included bogus tradesmen scams, up 57%; accommodation fraud, 22%, and account takeover fraud, 18%.
Despite the general rise in certain areas of crime, some categories did see dips.
Phishing incidents fell by more than a quarter, while reports of counterfeit currency dropped by 88%.
Insurance fraud also saw a marked 45% reduction.
Surprisingly, arson rates have surged, and it now ranks as the second-fastest-growing crime in Ireland, increasing by 20% compared to the first six months of 2024.
However, other criminal damage incidents fell by 14%, suggesting that the rise in arson may reflect more targeted or deliberate actions rather than a broader pattern of property-related crime.
Sexual offences continue on an upward trend, with a 4% increase in rape reports and a 7% rise in non-aggravated sexual assault cases.
Gardaí reported a 16% decline in child sexual abuse material and related offences, though they acknowledged that overall reports of sexual offences had risen nationally compared to 2024.
Meanwhile, Gardaí are intensifying their efforts to dismantle high-level burglary gangs that are believed to be responsible for a significant portion of break-ins across the country.
Detective Chief Superintendent Séamus Boland of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) revealed that half a dozen gangs, mainly from Dublin and Kildare, are under active investigation.
“These are not your average opportunistic burglars,” Boland said.
“They are professional, organised, and undeterred by alarms, CCTV or even dogs. They will target high-security homes without hesitation.”
He explained that when such gangs are intercepted, local burglary rates often plummet for months.
Under Operation Thor, the national initiative targeting burglary networks, residential burglaries have dropped by 13% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with an average of 14 break-ins per day across Ireland.
Intelligence-sharing with police in Britain and Ireland has become crucial, as some criminal groups relocate abroad when pressure intensifies in Ireland.
Beyond fraud and burglary, road traffic collisions were down 2%, with over 22,000 incidents reported by the end of June.
However, driving while intoxicated rose by 8%, reflecting ongoing concerns around road safety enforcement.
Between January and June 2025, Gardaí made over 27,000 arrests and filed more than 67,000 criminal charges.
Certain crimes such as burglary and insurance fraud are falling due to targeted operations and preventive measures, but the explosion in financial and cyber fraud presents a new and complicated threat to Ireland and its people.
See More: An Garda Síochána, Arson, Crime, Fraud, Police
