An Garda Síochána's Operation Thor saw five arrests made for burglary every day in last year

Operation Thor, launched in November 2015, is designed to tackle the anticipated increase in the number of burglaries and associated criminal activity across Ireland that usually occur in winter months by undertaking targeted enforcement and preventative activity.

This initiative has successfully reduced the rate of winter burglaries, leading to a significant decline in property related crime since its introduction.

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The winter phase of Operation Thor found:

• 14% reduction in Residential Burglaries during Operation Thor Winter Phase 2025/2026 compared to previous winter phase 2024/2025 (just over 2,600 residential burglaries)
• Lowest level of recorded residential burglaries during an Operation Thor winter phase in six years (since pre covid-19)
• On average 5 arrests for burglary and related offence every day; nearly 1,000 arrests
• On average 12 charges/ summonses issued for burglary related charges every day; nearly 2,250 charges / summonses
• On average only 2 residential burglaries reported per day across the Garda North-Western Region (Garda North Western region includes 10 counties Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Longford, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth)
• On average less than 5 aggravated burglaries nationwide per week; just over 120 aggravated burglaries

Analysis of provisional data during the 2025/ 2026 winter phase of Operation Thor, by the Garda Síochána Analysis Services shows that:

There were a total of just under 4,300 Incidents linked to Operation Thor (Burglary, Aggravated Burglary/ Possession of an Article (Burglary/ Theft) reported during the 2025/2026 Operation Thor winter phase. This is the lowest number of Operation Thor incidents to have occurred during a Winter Phase since Winter Phase 2020/2021.

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Of the 4,300 incidents 94.7% were of Burglary, 2.8% Aggravated Burglary, 2.4% of Possession of an Article (Burglary or Theft).

64% of burglary incidents were residential burglaries, while 36% were non-residential. The most common location types affected are House (53.4%), Shop (8.4%), Apartment (4.7%), and Restaurant (3.9%).

Temporal analysis of residential burglary incidents during the 25/26 Winter phase suggest that 78% of residential burglaries occurred between 6pm and 2am. Fridays and Saturdays being the days that burglary incidents were recorded as occurring most frequently.

Speaking about the analysis of Operation Thor Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis, Organised and Serious Crime highlighted,

"I am pleased to see that the level of burglary related crime continues to trend downwards as An Garda Síochána remains resolute focusing on those criminal groups that carry out these particularly harmful crimes.

"Operation Thor, led and co-ordinated by Organised and Serious Crime through the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, involves dedicated local divisional investigation teams, supported by front-line Gardaí, National and Regional Units.

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"Residential burglary is a particularly insidious crime. The violation by criminals of a person’s home has a lasting impact on the victim. Burglary, and burglary related crime and the organised criminal groups responsible remain key targets for all resources of An Garda Síochána.

"The sharing of intelligence, the coordination of operations and the willingness of all personnel involved in Operation Thor to act collectively have all been critical to the success of this strategy. I want to acknowledge and recognise the efforts of my colleagues throughout the organisation for their continued efforts in relation to Operation Thor”