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CRIME decreased in all categories in the county over 2020 compared to the previous year.
The statistics for the Kerry Garda Division were revealed at the Joint Policing Committee meeting which was held online this morning.
There were significant decreases in Property Crime (-29%), Crimes Against The Person (-19%), Criminal Damage and Public Order (-26%) and Drugs and Offensive Weapons (-19%).
The COVID-19 restrictions imposed during a large part of 2020 had a large impact on the decrease in crime in the county.
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Burglaries were down 29% from 250 in 2019 to 177 last year. Thefts/unauthorised takings of vehicles were down 36% from 42 to 27 and thefts from vehicle were down 45% from 125 to 69.
Thefts from shops were down 25% from 510 to 380 and thefts from other property were down 33% from 290 to 193.
Assaults causing harm were down 28% from 149 to 108 while minor assaults were down 28% from 487 to 353.
Domestic abuse incidents also increased last year, from 1,021 in 2019 to 1,133 up to December 27, 2020.
Criminal damage incidents saw a modest decrease of 4% from 371 to 357. Public order offences were down significantly from 711 in 2019 to 464 last year, a decrease of 35%. Drunkenness offences were down 30%, from 584 to 411.
One area which saw an increase were incidents of possession of drugs for sale or supply, up 17% rising from 83 in 2019 to 97 last year. However, possession of drugs for personal use offences were down 27% from 598 to 438. Possession of offensive weapons offences were down 28%, from 60 to 43.
Traffic collisions which caused material damage were down 34%, from 1,451 to 952, Traffic collisions with non-serious injury were down 22% from 134 to 105. Traffic collisions with serious injury were down 43% from 44 to 25.
There were eight fatal road traffic collisions last year where nine people died compared to six road traffic collisions in 2019. All eight collisions occurred in the first eight months of 2020.
Intoxicated while driving offences decreased by 23% from 316 to 244. However, there was a significant rise in drug driving offences, from 57 in 2019 to 90 last year.
