It’s a sting operation

Gardaí show how prickly plants can keep burglars from our homes

GARDAÍ are advising homeowners to grow ‘prickly plants’ in their gardens to root out burglars.

While the latest anti-theft campaign invited barbs about a new special branch, gardaí insisted that ‘defensive planting’ is no joke.

New figures show that almost one in every four break-ins between June and August is from unsecured doors or windows and a prickly hedge along the boundary or under a window provides an extra layer of security, they said.

They specifically suggested Mahonia, Purple Berberis, Ulex Europeans, Golden Bamboo, Firethorn and Shrub Rose among the 16 plants to hold off burglars.

Householders were also told to lock away gardening tools and bikes, as their theft rises by 23% in summer. The Garda summer anti-burglary campaign, launched at the Bloom festival yesterday, also shows that break-ins are most likely between midnight and 4am, and between noon and 3pm. This latest campaign is part of Operation Thor, which has reduced home burglaries by 30% through preventative and enforcement measures since it began in 2015.

Garda figures show there were 16% fewer home burglaries in the summer months last year, compared to winter months.

However, the theft of gardening equipment rose by 23% in summer last year compared to winter, with €191,522 worth of equipment taken – while €32,100 worth of ride-on mowers was stolen last summer, compared to €18,000 worth in winter.