BOCSAR crime stats: Spike in stealing offences on the northern beaches
The latest NSW crime stats show a spike in business break-ins and shoplifting on the northern beaches, but the offending figures are down on pre-Covid rates.
Manly
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Burglaries at businesses and shops across the northern beaches have skyrocketed, according to the latest NSW crime statistics.
And shoplifting reports in the region have spiked by 40 per cent in the 24 months to December 2023.
But Northern Beaches Police pointed out that the latest figures were compared to a period when there was a massive drop in reported crime during the Covid pandemic and lockdowns.
The most recent NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) figures released on Thursday showed that while there was a 27 per cent jump in property offences on the northern beaches in the 24 months to December last year, there was actually a downward trend in those offences, based on figures over the last five-year period.
Northern Beaches Police commander Pat Sharkey said on Friday that local crime statistics remained generally lower than pre-Covid reporting, across all major crime categories.
Superintendent Sharkey said property crime offences including break and enter into private homes; break and enter-non-dwelling, steal motor vehicle as well as robbery and steal from person, were down on pre-pandemic levels.
“Reporting numbers appear inflated when viewed as comparative statistics against the Covid period due to the distinct reduction in reported crime during Covid,” he said.
“In relation to steal from retail, these statistics are also lower than, or on par with, pre-Covid reporting.”
BOCSAR’s latest NSW Recorded Crime Statistics report showed that in the last two years, the number of reported break-ins into “non-dwellings”, such as cafes, clubs, bicycle shops and other businesses, had jumped by 131 per cent.
The latest statistics showed that in the 12 months to December 2023 there were 714 shoplifting offences recorded on the northern beaches, compared with 510 in the previous year.
Breaking and entering businesses jumped from 57 in 2022 to 132 last year, but house burglaries dropped from 225 in 2022 to 204 in 2023.
Supt. Sharkey said Northern Beaches Police conducted regular enforcement operations, including going undercover, in shopping centres to target hoodlum behaviour and theft.
“These operations uncover offences which may have gone unreported and therefore increase the number of reported incidents.
“(And) Northern Beaches Police, with the support of the Northern Beaches Liquor Accord, have specifically promoted the reporting and investigation of alcohol theft from bottle shops.
“This is a strategy to identify offenders and address alcohol related crime, which is often a driver in assaults and street offences for both youth and adults alike.”
Supt. Sharkey also pointed out that the Northern Beaches Police Area Command (PAC) maintained an above average “legal action” rate of charging offenders with property crime when compared to other Commands.
Supt. Sharkey urged people to lock their homes and vehicles and secure their goods to help deter thieves.
“Where offences occur, please report it to police,” he said.
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