Car thefts increased by 58 per cent in Galway during the first half of 2025, according to CSO figures published this week, bucking the national trend which saw incidents of this crime fall in the six months to the end of June.
Central Statistics Office (CSO ) Q2 2025 statistics revealed that 3,472 motor theft and related offences were reported around the country from January to the end of June this year – a decrease of 13 per cent.
In Galway, there were 52 thefts reported, an increase of 58 per cent from the 33 incidents during the same period last year.
While the most recent figures show a fall in motor thefts across the country from last year, the figures are still significantly ahead of pre-pandemic levels – by 42 per cent – when 2,439 offences were recorded in the same period in 2019.?
According to insurance company OUTsurance, a variety of trends are behind the rise. Factors could include social media copycats leading to increasing rates of joyriding as car thieves take to platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram to document and share their exploits with their peers.
The influx of Japanese cars – registered imports increased by more than 1,000 per cent between 2015 to 2024 – has inadvertently expanded the number of vehicles on Irish roads that are both easier to steal (due to their lack of immobiliser ) and easier to drive, making them a prime target for joyriders.?
In the first half of 2025, the primary hotspots for motor theft incidents across Ireland are Dublin, Cork and Limerick. Dublin makes up a sizeable proportion with 1,723 vehicles stolen, followed by 337 in Cork and 215 in Limerick.??
OUTsurance has reiterated that Irish motorists stay vigilant and shared six tips to help keep their vehicle as secure as possible:??
Invest in an immobiliser: Modern immobilisers prevent the engine from starting without the correct key or fob. This makes it significantly harder for thieves to hotwire your car or use cloned keys.?
Consider using wheel clamps:?Wheel clamps, like steering locks, are a visible deterrent adding extra layers of difficulty for opportunistic criminals.?
Don’t leave your engine running: It might be tempting in cold weather to let your car warm up unattended, but this leaves it vulnerable. Keyless theft is quick, and an idling car is an easy target for drive-away thieves.?
Install CCTV or motion sensor lighting at home: If you park on a driveway, visible home security measures – such as cameras or motion-activated lighting – make your property less appealing to criminals and increase the chances of them being caught. In the event of a theft, the footage may also provide crucial footage which assist in the vehicle’s recovery.??
Consider signal-blocking pouches for keyless entry cars: Relay attacks are a growing method of car theft, where thieves intercept the signal from keyless fobs. A signal-blocking pouch (also known as a Faraday pouch ) can stop criminals from amplifying your key’s signal.?
Even inside the home, keep keys away from letterboxes and out of sight: Ensure your car keys cannot be seen from your front door. Another emerging trend in motor thefts is car thieves passing a utensil, such as a fishing rod, through the letterbox and retrieving the keys off a hook or from a hall table.?
