Gold-targeting fears over rise in burglaries at Indian homes in Athlone

by Navjyoti Dalal

A recent burglary at an Indian family's household in Athlone has scratched an old wound for the community, which has borne the brunt of such incidents in the past as well.

The thefts have sparked fears within the local Indian community that they are being targeted due to their popular association with gold and silver.

The theft was committed while the family was away in another town, and was executed within a few minutes.

"We were not in Athlone and received a call from the alarm company, that our home was broken into. They had also informed the Garda, who reached the scene as soon as they could, but the burglars were gone by then," said the victim.

She added: "The burglars looted away precious jewellery, in gold and silver, some of which were family heirlooms and held a connection between me and my late mother."

She believes that their property was staked out in advance. "We weren't home that day, and later found out, captured in our CCTV footage, someone who was distributing pamphlets advertising a roofing and home improvement business.

"It appears to me that it was a disguise, for when we called the number, it was answered by someone who didn't sound genuine," she said. The calls went unanswered later. The business advertised did not have an address on the pamphlet.

The family is in shock and trauma. "We imagined it would be safe here, that the security systems in place are enough. But one can never be too sure. We trust that the Garda will do their best to bring us justice and some closure," added the woman.

Such cases are not new to the Indian community in Ireland, which has been at the receiving end of break-ins and burglaries.

A man whose newly moved-in home was broken into a few years ago shared that he was yet to install the alarm system in his home, but had to travel to India to tend to his ailing father. "I got a call from my neighbour one day that my house was broken into," said the man, who lost ornaments worth €2,200 to €2,300 at the time.

He shared that, even though the guards took fingerprints from the crime scene, he was disappointed with the inconclusive outcome of the incident. No arrests were made, and the case was closed after three years.

Three years ago another family lost a sizeable amount of gold jewellery. The incident triggered most of the community to safeguard their gold and precious belongings by taking it back to India.

The second victim we spoke to explained that, while most Indians have become aware of the risk owning gold jewellery poses, the identity sticks. “Gold is part of our culture, but many of us have learnt it the hard way that precious metal jewellery might lure the criminals, and (we) no longer bring it to Ireland. But it is difficult to fight the image of a gold hoarder,” said the man.

Perhaps it was this image which brought burglars into the home of a young couple in 2023. The couple was out and returned home around midnight, only to find it unlocked.

“The entire place was turned upside down. They went through the whole house, including every wardrobe and kitchen cabinet, throwing our belongings onto the floor,” said the young lady who doesn't keep her gold ornaments in Ireland.

The burglars stole some cash and vandalised the home. "They poured bleach, toilet cleaner, and mouthwash all over our clothes, shoes, bags, and floors," said the woman who shared that the break-in left her with a sense of fear.

"It took us a very long time to process and get over it. Having someone break into your home, go through your personal belongings, and vandalise your space is a massive invasion of privacy. For a long time afterward, it left us feeling unsafe and shaken in our own home," she said.

Another resident, whose house was burgled last year, shared that the incident has made her more vigilant.

"We have invested in better security systems," she revealed. "But just because we come from a culture where gold ornaments are part of it, shouldn't make us more susceptible to being targets for criminals.

"It is a regressive idea, similar to the one where we place all responsibility of a woman's safety on her modesty. We abide by law, are a constructive addition to this society, safety should be a norm, not hinged on dos and donts," she said.

Gardai in Athlone say that they are not aware of any specific targeting of the Indian community by burglars.

Separately, a recent advisory released by An Garda Síochána stated that, even though international evidence suggests burglaries tend to rise by as much as 20% during the winter, this has not been the reality in Ireland in recent years.

"Burglary remains a concern, but is not as prevalent as it has been in the past – since Operation Thor was established in 2015, the level of recorded burglary has fallen by 72.2% (Jan-Aug 2015 compared to Jan-Aug 2026)," it read.