Increase in motor thefts in Waterford
An increase in motor thefts has been reported in Waterford.
There has been a sharp increase in the number of motor thefts recorded in Waterford, in stark contrast to the national trend.
According to data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), while there has been a 13% drop in motor thefts across Ireland, there was a marked increase in the Déise.
In Q2 2025, there were 92 thefts reported in Waterford - an increase of 53% from the 60 incidents during the same period last year.
While the most recent figures show a fall in motor theft across the country from last year, the figures are still significantly ahead – by 42% - of pre-pandemic levels when 2,439 offences were recorded in the same period in 2019.
Social media trends - TikTok in particular - has been identified as a factor behind the increase, as copycats document their joyriding exploits online to an audience of thousands.
OUTsurance Ireland CMO Ian Kennedy said: "Following the record-breaking year that was 2024, it is reassuring to see such a significant reduction in the most recent motor theft figures. Protecting your vehicle only takes a few simple steps and these figures would indicate that more and more of the Irish public has been proactive in doing so. We encourage everyone to stay consistent in following these measures to ensure the safety of their vehicle, and hopefully we will see this trend continue into the second half of 2025."
