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Vehicle thefts have jumped substantially.
The number of thefts in a midlands town has soared.
Figures from Westmeath's Joint Policing Committee meeting have found vehicle thefts in Athlone have jumped by 150% in 2023, when compared to the same period last year.
The town has seen the number of thefts from shops rise by 82%, while there's been 600 cases of that variety in the county.
Theft of other property in Athlone more than doubled - there have been over 300 cases of that incident in Westmeath in total.