BOCSAR: Break and enters to houses, thefts spike across New England North West

The latest round of Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) show jumps of 20 per cent in stealings from homes while break-and-enters at local properties rose 16 per cent in the 12 months to March.

According to the numbers, 200 more reports of thefts from cars were recorded in the region with Oxley, New England and Barwon police called to 1,473 incidents.

In the 12 months to March, 240 more homes were broken into, leaving a total of 1,718 houses hit by thieves over the 12-month period.

Non-domestic assaults also rose by four per cent. 

In the Tamworth council area, thefts from houses jumped by 50 incidents to 314 reports in the year to March. Break-ins to houses jumped from 416 reports in the year to March, 2016, to 545 in the following year.

There were 56 less reports of shoplifting while 73 more cars were targeted and had goods stolen. Twenty-five more cars were stolen with 127 reports in the 12 months to March, while break-ins to business rose from 11 in the previous year, to 139 in the year to March.

Forty-more assaults were recorded over the 12 months than the previous year. In the same period, robbery without a weapon doubled from four to nine incidents.

Deputy BOCSAR Director Jackie Fitzgerald said that while no major offences were trending upwards at the state-level, there were key crime problems in regional areas.

“The growth in crimes in the West and North West of NSW is particularly concerning because the crime rates in these areas are already more than twice, and in some cases more than three times the State average,” she said.  

Across the Tamworth area, domestic violence-related assaults, sexual and indecent assaults were all stable, so too armed robbery, thefts from persons, malicious damages and fraud.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the current review into regional policing will look at how officers respond to rising crime, with the New England North West one of two regions to record spikes in break-ins to homes.

“The recent appointment of a dedicated regional deputy commissioner will further enhance police capabilities to target and respond to all levels of crime including drug and rural crime,” he said.