Blacktown highest in NSW for domestic assaults, theft from motor vehicles

Blacktown had the highest number of domestic violence-related assaults in 2018 and was a hotspot for malicious damage and theft from motor vehicles, new data shows. Subscribe here to find out the main crime trends across Blacktown last year.

Blacktown recorded the highest number of domestic assaults in NSW in 2018, according to new data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. Picture: Bill Hearne

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Blacktown Local Government Area has recorded the highest number of domestic violence assaults in the state — and is a hotspot for malicious damage and theft from motor vehicles — new crime statistics show.

Data recently released from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has revealed trends across all major offences in NSW in the past two years.

In the greater Sydney area, only Blacktown and the Baulkham Hills/Hawkesbury local government areas recorded an upward trend in major crime categories.

Police and onlookers at the scene of a violent home invasion in Dharruk in March 2018, where a man was fatally stabbed.

Blacktown Police Area Command Detective Inspector Paul Tickner told the Advocate domestic violence was the number one crime officers were called to each day.

“With domestic violence in western Sydney, from Penrith right through to Blacktown, there’s high rates being reported to us, with high rates of assaults,” Inspector Tickner said.

“We’re found changes to legislation, the videotaping of victims at domestic violence incidents, encouraging the reporting of it and how we gather evidence at crime scenes are helping curb rates of domestic violence.

“There’s no one specific answer to cover domestic violence in all areas.

“We’ve identified lower socio-economic areas have higher rates of domestic violence, so higher figures in western Sydney than the north shore, which is reflected in the BOCSAR data.

“Domestic violence is up due to reporting and how we record things, and we encourage everyone to report it.”

A crime scene at a home in Blacktown in October 2018 where police allege a man was stabbed to death by his partner. Picture: Seven News

Blacktown experienced a significant increase in the number of break and enters to non-dwellings, up almost 40 per cent in the two years to December 2018.

Violent and property offences have remained stable in Blacktown during the past two years; however, recorded a two per cent increase since 2013.

The Blacktown area — covering the Blacktown, Mt Druitt and Quakers police area commands (PACs) — recorded crimes more than double NSW rate for robbery without a weapon and robbery with a weapon other than a firearm.

There were four murders in Blacktown in the 12 months to December, 2018, which was the third highest in greater Sydney behind the Inner South West statistical area, where there were eight and the Parramatta area where five people were murdered.

Across NSW, Blacktown recorded the highest number of domestic violence assaults (2184 incidents), theft from motor vehicles (2942 incidents) and malicious damage (3460).

Inspector Tickner said malicious damage was a key focus for officers in the Blacktown command.

“The Police Transport Command identified Blacktown railway station and around the CBD as a key area to put resources into as here we get a lot of reports of malicious damage, from broken windows, smashed bins, damage to cars and public property, from louts in the area misbehaving,” he said.

Police raid a home in Doonside in April 2018. Picture: Adam Yip

Blacktown had the second highest number of break and enters in greater Sydney, with 1551 offences, behind Parramatta which experienced more than 1630 incidents.

Blacktown ranked second in Sydney for shoplifting, break and enters, robbery without a weapon and fraud.

It recorded the third highest number of sexual assaults, muggings and motor vehicle thefts.

There were more than 1550 reported break and enters and 800 motor vehicle thefts across Blacktown in 2018.

Inspector Tickner said theft from motor vehicles had dropped in the Blacktown and Quakers Hill PACs since July 2018.

He urged car owners not to tempt would-be thieves by leaving their car unlocked and having valuables in plain sight.

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“During the day, theft from motor vehicles occurs around transport hubs and the CBD where people park their cars for a number of hours, so they’re unattended,” he said.

“At night time, we’re seeing this in residential areas from Lalor Park to Prospect to Doonside.

“It’s often opportunistic. Don’t leave valuables in the car overnight or in plain sight during the day. More often at night they’re after wallets with credit cards so they can tap and go or small electrical items they can offload quickly.

“In the year to date, compared to last year, we’re down 150 offences in stealing from a motor vehicle, so that’s 150 less victims we’ve had to deal with.”

Inspector Tickner said having extra police numbers and an increased police presence on bikes, especially around Blacktown, Seven Hills and Doonside, had been positive in driving down crime.