Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research > Media Releases > 2016

Most major categories of crime still falling

NSW Recorded Crime Statistics quarterly update Sept 2016

Full report - NSW Recorded Crime Statistics quarterly update Sept 2016 (pdf, 904Kb)

Release date: 10.30am, Tuesday 6 December 2016

 

Statewide changes

In the 24 months to September 2016, only one of the 17 major offences showed a significant upward trend across NSW, eight were trending downward and the remaining eight offences were stable.

The offence trending upwards was steal from retail store (up 6.4%).

The offences trending down were:

  1. robbery without a weapon (down 17.3%);
  2. robbery with a firearm (down 27.9%);
  3. robbery with a weapon not a firearm (down 21.0%);
  4. break and enter dwelling (down 6.2%);
  5. break and enter non-dwelling (down 8.9%);
  6. motor vehicle theft (down 11.1%);
  7. steal from person (down 10.9%);
  8. malicious damage to property (down 2.4%).

Steal from retail store has now been trending upwards for five successive quarters. The most frequently victimised retail premises last year were: supermarkets (23%), department stores (14%), shopping complexes (13%), packaged liquor shops (9%) and clothing shops (7%).

The most commonly stolen items are liquor, clothing and personal items such as cosmetics, toiletries and razors, followed by communications and electronic equipment.

Regional changes

The standout problem in regional NSW was a growth in fraud. The incidence of this offence increased across seven regional areas: the Central West (up 25.3%), Coffs Harbour-Grafton (up 39.8%), the Mid North Coast (up 26.6%), New England and North West (up 34.9%), Richmond Tweed (up 36.3%), the Riverina (up 33.8%), and the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven (up 38.8%).

Past BOCSAR research has shown that most of the growth in fraud in recent years involves fraudulent use of credit cards and failing to pay (for fuel) at service stations.

Despite the increase in fraud and steal from a retail store, most areas in regional NSW experienced falls in crime.

One very reassuring trend in regional NSW is that domestic assault in the Far West & Orana fell by 13.5% in the two years to September 2016. This is an area where the recorded rate of domestic assault is 2.7 times the State average.

Further enquiries: Dr Don Weatherburn 02 8346 1100
Copies of the report: www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au