NSW recorded crime statistics quarterly updates: September 2009


Click here for the full report (pdf, 133Kb)

Release date: 16 December 2009

Statewide changes

The latest quarterly crime report released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research shows that, over the 24 months to September 2009, one of the 17 major offences showed a significant increase, six were stable and ten were trending downwards.

The offence trending upward was steal from retail store (up 5.8 per cent). The premises with the greatest increases in retail theft were clothing shops (up 30.3 per cent to 2,722 incidents in the 12 months to September 2009), licensed premises (up 18.1 per cent to 1,304 incidents), shopping complexes (up 12.7 per cent to 2,017 incidents) and supermarkets (up 7.0 per cent to 3,910 incidents).

The offences trending down were:

  • Assault - non-domestic violence related (down 4.5%)
  • Robbery without a weapon (down 13.3%)
  • Robbery with a non-firearm weapon (down 10.7%)
  • Break and enter dwelling (down 6.1%)
  • Break and enter non-dwelling (down 14.8%)
  • Motor vehicle theft (down 9.3%)
  • Steal from motor vehicle (down 21.5%)
  • Steal from person (down 7.9%)
  • Fraud (down 10.3%)
  • Malicious damage to property (down 4.4%)


Among the expanded list of 62 offences only seven showed an upward trend:

  • Steal from retail store (up 5.8%)
  • Possession/use of cocaine (up 39.9%)
  • Possession/use of cannabis (up 15.1%)
  • Possession/use of ecstasy (up 49.7%)
  • Possession/use of other drugs (up 23.6%)
  • Other drug offences (up 4.9%)
  • Breach bail conditions (up 5.6%)


According to the director of the Bureau, the upward trends in breach bail are almost certainly reflective of increased law enforcement activity.

The upsurge in recorded drug offences could be indicative of increased drug use but could also reflect proactive policing activity.

Regional changes

The increase in steal from retail store was concentrated in the Illawarra, Hunter and Richmond-Tweed Statistical Divisions. There were only four other significant increases for trends in major offences across NSW regional Statistical Divisions.

Recorded sexual assault offences rose by 33 per cent in the Illawarra Statistical Division, motor vehicle theft offences rose by 33 per cent in the Mid-North Coast Statistical Division and by 19 per cent in the North Western Statistical Division, and fraud offences rose by 15 per cent in the South Eastern Statistical Division.

Further enquiries: Dr Don Weatherburn 9231-9190, 0419-494-408