Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research > Media Releases > 2009

NSW recorded crime statistics quarterly updates: June 2009

 

Click here for the full report (pdf, 128Kb)

Release date: 8 September 2009

Statewide trends

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

The offence trending upward was steal from retail store (up 6.2 per cent). The premises with the greatest increases in retail theft were clothing shops (up 26.6 per cent to 2,532 incidents in 2008/09), shopping complexes (up 19.0 per cent to 2,044 incidents in 2008/09), electronic retailers (up 26.4 per cent to 675 incidents in 2008/09) and supermarkets (up 8.2 per cent to 3,854 incidents in 2008/09).

The offences trending down were:

  • Robbery without a weapon (down 19.8%)
  • Robbery with a weaponnot a firearm (down 14.9%)
  • Break and enter dwelling (down 4.7%)
  • Break and enter non-dwelling (down 12.9%)
  • Motor vehicle theft (down 12.2%)
  • Steal from a motor vehicle (down 19.1%)
  • Steal from person (down 9.1%)


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

  • Steal from retail store (up 6.2%)
  • Possession/use of narcotics (up 17.7%)
  • Possession/use of cocaine (up 27.3%)
  • Possession/use of cannabis (up 19.2%)
  • Possession/use of ecstasy (up 53.4%)
  • Possession/use of other drugs (up 20.7%)
  • Dealing/trafficking narcotics (up 51.1%)
  • Other drug offences (up 7.5%)
  • Offensive language (up 4.2%)
  • Breach bail conditions (up 11.0%)

According to the director of the Bureau, the upward trends in offensive language and breach bail conditions 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 trends

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

Recorded sexual assault offences rose by 26 per cent in the Illawarra Statistical Division, motor vehicle theft offences rose by 27 per cent in the Mid-North Coast Statistical Division and steal from dwelling offences rose by 25 per cent in the Far West Statistical Division.

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