TAMWORTH has been recording alarming increases in its crime rate since 2009 with the number of break-and-enter offences jumping by 106 per cent over four years.
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Of the 17 categories classified as major offences which make up the annual report on criminal statistics, Tamworth has recorded increases in 12 over the four-year period.
Near the top of the list are break-ins at homes which jumped from 249 for the 12-month period to September 2009 to 841 incidents for the same period in 2012. There were 580 offences in 2010.
The figures have been revealed following an analysis by The Northern Daily Leader of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reports for each year.
Since 2009 motor vehicle theft has increased from 145 incidents to 178 in 2012, a rise of 23 per cent. A total of 160 incidents were recorded in 2010.
The biggest statistical increase was for robbery with a weapon (not a firearm) offences which jumped 174 per cent. There were four offences in 2009, five in 2010 and 11 in 2012.
The largest decline in offences was recorded in steal from person cases which dropped by 20 per cent. There were 44 offences in 2009 and 35 offences in 2012.
One of the most significant declines was in the number of break-and-enters (non dwelling) which fell from 249 in 2009 to 217 in 2012. There was a spike of 289 offences in 2011.
Police attribute the decrease of 13 per cent to a general tightening of
security arrangements by businesses and schools, including the erection of large fences.
The other category to fall was malicious damage of property offences which have dropped by just under 4 per cent.
There were 1249 recorded offences in 2009 and 1202 in 2012. The introduction of CCTV cameras at businesses and in the city centre may be one reason for the fall.
There has been a big increase in shoplifting offences though. There were 143 in 2009, 208 in 2010 and 270 in 2012 – an increase of 89 per cent over the four-year period.
Fraud offences have increased by 72 per cent, from 136 offences in 2009 to 234 in 2012. The fraud category includes people not paying for petrol.
Stealing from dwellings has risen by 25 per cent with 257 cases in 2009 and 321 in 2012.
Stealing from motor vehicle offences have increased by 38 per cent, from 349 offences in 2009 to 482 in 2012.
There has been a big rise in the number of reported domestic violence offences, up 43 per cent over the four years. There were 296 offences in 2009 and 424 in 2012.
Assault offences have increased by 11 per cent with 548 offences recorded in 2012 compared with 495 in 2009.
There has been little movement in the number of sexual assault cases – 72 recorded in 2009 and 73 in 2012.
Indecent assault/acts of indecency offences have risen by 30 per cent. There were 74 offences in 2009 and 96 in 2012.
An increase of 37 per cent was recorded in robbery without a weapon offences – 19 in 2009 and 26 in 2012.
