NSW CRIME CONTINUES TO FALL OR REMAIN STABLE

The latest quarterly crime statistics reveal 15 of the 17 major crime offences remain stable or are falling while two categories saw upward trends across NSW.

In the two years to June 2016, Fraud has risen 1.7 per cent while Steal from retail store has gone up 6.3 per cent.

Supermarkets are the leading premises targeted in Steal from retail store, followed by department stores, shopping complexes, packaged liquor shops and clothes shops.

Six categories remain stable while nine categories showed downward trends:
· murder (down 32.1 per cent);

· robbery without a weapon (down 25.9 per cent);

· robbery with a firearm (down 41.7 per cent);

· robbery with a weapon not a firearm (down 22.2 per cent);

· break and enter dwelling (down 7.2 per cent);

· motor vehicle theft (down 12.6 per cent);

· steal from dwelling (down 6.6 per cent);

· steal from person (down 9.9 per cent);

· malicious damage to property (down 3.2 per cent).

“The NSW Police Force work hard to proactively target and prevent crime and these results are testament to their dedication and hard work,” Mr Grant said.
“I again encourage shop owners to review their security practices and urge the public to report suspicious activity.

Outside the major crime categories, amphetamine possession has also increased 18.6 per cent in the two years to June 2016.

“Drugs continue to be a scourge on society, tearing apart communities right across NSW and under planned reforms there will be Regional and Metropolitan Deputy Commissioners focused on turning this trend around,” Mr Grant said.
The number of murder victims has declined significantly in the two years to June 2016 with just nine murder victims recorded in the second quarter of 2016, the lowest of any quarter since 1995.