Homes are more likely to be targeted by burglars between the hours of 5pm and 10pm in the winter months, according to latest garda statistics.

Robbers look for jewellery and cash when breaking and entering residences and on average, one in five intruders enter through an unsecured window or door.

Almost a third of robberies take place due to intruders entering through a window at the back of the residence.

A total of 27pc of burglaries take place through the front door and a quarter take place through a back door.

As the winter months loom, gardaí have began their annual Operation Thor Phase, which focuses on prevention and targeted enforcement to reduce bulgarlies.

“Operation Thor pro-actively targets organised crime gangs and repeat offenders through coordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest crime trends and patterns to protect communities,” said a garda spokesperson.

The gardaí expect home robberies to rise by 20pc in the winter months.

According to garda research, homes that look empty are targeted more often and last winter, almost 6,000 homes were bulgarled, a 10pc decrease over three years.

Operation Thor will focus on five main areas to reduce robberies, which are crime investigation, crime prevention, victim support, education and working with partner agencies.

“Crime trend analysis will be used to identify burglary hot-spots and extra high-visibility patrols will then be put into those areas,” added a spokesperson.

The ‘Lock up, Light up’ campaign will also aim to educate and inform communities as to how they can enhance the security of their homes and property.

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