Pensioner crime: Number of older persons arrested and jailed is soaring

NSW is in the grip of a pensioner crime wave, with the number of older people being arrested, charged and thrown into jail rocketing in the past five years .

NSW is in the grip of a pensioner crime wave, with the number of older people being arrested, charged and thrown into jail rocketing in the past five years.

Many 65-year-olds are focusing on time with the grandkids, whacking a few golf balls or simply taking it easy.

But there is stark evidence more older folk are turning to crime — with the number of over-65s who’ve faced police proceedings rising from 933 in 2010 to a whopping 1709 last year, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The proceedings include criminal charges, formal cautions and drug and drink diversion programs.

Courts haven’t been particularly soft on older crooks — with the number of over 65s behind bars rising from 161 in 2010 to 286 last year. The reasons for the rise in grey-haired crime are unclear but it’s a trend mirrored across Australia, with the number of over 65s facing police proceedings soaring 12 per cent last year to 5358.

It was the largest percentage increase in all age groups.

Similar trends have been observed in the UK and Japan, the latter of which is said to have been affected by more impoverished pensioners shoplifting.

The Australian increases can also be partly attributed to an ageing population placing more pressure on public services.

The average age of Australian criminals is now 28 — up from 25 in 2008. The average age in NSW’s chock-full prisons system increased slightly to 36.8 years old.

The ABS data also showed proceedings against people of all ages accused of sexual assault shot up 35 per cent in five years.

Action against people accused of fraud and deception rose 82 per cent while proceedings for theft rose 40 per cent, with a whopping 33,000 people facing theft-related charges or punishments. The increases show police are catching more criminals.

“The NSW government makes no apologies for more arrests and a strong and effective police force, which is continuing to deliver community ­safety,” a spokesman for Police Minister Troy Grant said.