PROPERTY crime continues to be driven down by police with the latest crime stats released on Wednesday showing a significant fall in the number of break and enters, motor vehicle theft and malicious damage.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research released its quarterly update on Wednesday, and the city’s top cop Supt Paul McDonald, said proactive policing strategies have again delivered results with the latest statistics revealing 10 of the major crime categories on the decline.
The quarter compares major crime categories from June 2016 until June 2017 against the 12 months from June 2017 until June 2018.
Of significance are break and enters (dwelling) down from 314 to 242 (23 per cent decline), break and enter non dwelling, down from 95 to 48 (50 per cent fall) motor vehicle theft down from 75 to 71 (six per cent), steal from motor vehicle fell from 318 to 294 (eight per cent), steal from retail store 164 down to 121 (27 per cent), steal from dwelling 126 down from 143 (12 per cent), fraud was down 277 to 273 ( two per cent) and malicious damage fell from 623 to 492 (22 per cent).
Robbery without a weapon fell from nine to four (55 per cent), robbery with a firearm fell from two to none while non domestic violence related assaulted fell from 242 to 228.
Crime categories to rise included domestic violence which increased from 186 to 241 reports ( 32 per cent), sexual assault went from 44 to 51 (14 per cent). Robbery with a weapon (not a firearm) remained stable.
Supt McDonald said the results were a reflection of hard work by police on the ground.
“I’m very happy with the way things are,” Supt McDonald said.
“Our proactive strategies, high visibility policing and having police on the street is having an effect, and they show we are targeting the right people” he said.
Supt McDonald said the deployment of the Regional Enforcement Squad, based in Bathurst will further assist police, giving them additional resources to target key crime categories.
“They will help contribute to the downward trend especially property related crime drug related crime and mid level crime.”
While domestic violence figures increased, Supt McDonald said this correlates with increased reporting on the crime.
“While figures are high they do indicate to us more people are reporting the crime which allows us to intervene and put measures in place to protect victims and take action against perpetrators.”
