Sydney’s most dangerous and safest suburbs revealed
An investigation into Sydney’s most dangerous suburbs has exposed the murder capital of the city. Here are the crime rates by postcode, which also reveals the safest areas. FULL LIST.
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Australia prides itself on being a safe and secure nation, and its largest city of Sydney ranks as one of the safest in the world.
In fact, last year’s global Safe Cities Index gave the harbour city a top rating of 87.9 – putting Sydney behind just Tokyo, Singapore, Osaka and Amsterdam and four places ahead of Melbourne in a list of the world’s safest major urban areas measured by benchmarks including crime rates and personal security.
Despite the enviable ranking, latest figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics (BOCSAR) have shown some parts in Sydney are safer than others with some postcodes in the city recording averages of more than 20 major crimes each day.
On the back of the figures, NewsLocal this week breaks down the data to look at the city’s postcodes with the most – and least – number of recorded major crime incidents over the last five years.
The figures include major crimes categories by BOCSAR including homicide, assault, sexual offences, robbery, theft and malicious damage.
SYDNEY CBD
The beating heart of Sydney is also the state’s hotbed for major crimes with 36,853 incidents recorded over the five year period – an average of 20.2 per day.
The figures included three murders, one manslaughter, 383 sexual assaults and 12 armed robberies.
The CBD was also the state’s hotspot for assaults and theft with the postcode recording the most number of non-domestic violence related assaults and thefts from individuals and retail stores.
Along with the CBD, the 2000 postcode covers suburbs including Barangaroo, Dawes Point, Haymarket, Millers Point and The Rocks.
LIVERPOOL
One of western Sydney’s fastest growing regions is also one of the city’s hotspots for major crimes with 28,309 incidents over the five year period.
The 2170 postcodes, which includes Liverpool, Casula, Chipping Norton and Moorebank, recorded seven murders – the second highest number in NSW – and three attempted murders.
The postcode also had 394 sexual assaults, 20 armed robberies and the state’s most recorded number of car thefts (1462).
Other suburbs included in the postcode include Hammondville, Lurnea, Mount Pritchard, Prestons and Warwick Farm.
MOUNT DRUITT
Mount Druitt had the most number of murders for any Sydney postcode over the five year period and also ranked as the city’s third highest region for major crimes.
The 2770 postcode, which takes in suburbs including Emerton and Lethbridge Park, had nine murders, four attempted murders, one manslaughter, 460 sexual assaults and 25 armed robberies over the period.
The region also had the most recorded incidents of malicious damage to property (6198) and domestic violence related assaults (3716).
Despite the figures, there is plenty of love among locals for the suburb they call home which has even prompted a special line of “I heart Mount Druitt” T-shirts.
Other suburbs included in 2770 are Bidwell, Blackett, Dharruk, Hebersham, Minchinbury, Shalvey, Tregear, Whalan and Willmot.
CAMPBELLTOWN
Another of Sydney’s fastest growing regions was also a hotspot for major crimes with 21,738 incidents recorded over the five year period.
The 2560 postcode covering Campbelltown and surrounding areas in the city’s southwest had three murders, one attempted murder, 465 sexual assaults and 19 armed robberies over the period.
The area also had high numbers of theft including 2874 recorded incidents of thefts from retail stores, 2580 thefts from motor vehicles, and the state’s highest number of break and enters (dwellings).
Along with Campbelltown, the 2560 postcode takes in Airds, Ambarvale, Appin, Blair Athol, Bradbury, Cataract, Englorie Park, Gilead, Glen Alpine, Kentlyn, Leumeah, Macarthur Square, Rosemeadow, Ruse, St Helens Park, Wedderburn and Woodbine
BLACKTOWN
The Blacktown region clocked up the city’s fifth highest number of major crimes with 21,553 incidents recorded over the last five years – an average of 11.8 per day.
The 2148 postcode, which also includes Marayong, Prospect, Arndell Park, Huntingwood and Kings Park, had one murder, 17 armed robberies, 308 sexual assaults and 2261 non-domestic violence related assaults over the period.
Its highest number of recorded major crimes were incidents of malicious damage to property (3442), thefts from motor vehicles (3069), and thefts from retail stores (2420).
Latest Census figures show the 2148 postcode is one of Sydney’s fastest growing areas with 63,071 residents in 2016 – up from 58,670 in 2011.
Many locals say the area has copped an unfair reputation over the years, with a Reddit post discussing the area’s safety noting the region has a strong sense of “community, generosity and looking out for neighbours”.
“I’m really happy that I grew up there,” one resident said.
PENRITH
Large numbers of thefts and assaults accounted for a bulk of the 17,440 major crime incidents recorded in Penrith over the last five years.
The most number of major crimes recorded in the postcode were incidents of malicious damage to property (2925), thefts from retail stores (2644), thefts from motor vehicles (1955), and non-domestic violence related assaults (1771).
There was one murder, one attempted murder, 297 sexual assaults and six armed robberies over the same period.
The western Sydney postcode is on the cusp of a major transformation with the State Government earmarking Penrith as the “city’s third CBD” anchored by major housing developments and projects including the new Western Sydney Airport.
Other suburbs included in the 2750 postcode include Emu Plains, Jamisontown, Leonay and Emu Heights.
PARRAMATTA
Another of the city’s fastest growing regions also emerged as a hotspot for major crimes with Parramatta recording 15,636 incidents over the period.
The 2150 postcode had four murders and one attempted murder along with 1654 non-domestic violence related assaults, 873 break and enters (dwellings), 348 car thefts, and 175 sexual assaults.
Parramatta remains one of Sydney’s fastest growing areas with its population swelling by almost one-third from 22,385 in 2011 to 31,500 in 2016.
Parramatta shares its 2150 postcode with Harris Park.
SURRY HILLS
Known for its vibrant night-life and high concentration of bars and clubs, the 2010 postcode also clocked up Sydney’s eighth highest number of major crimes with 13,823 incidents recorded over the last five years.
2010, which covers Surry Hills to Darlinghurst, had three murders, three attempted murders, 171 sexual assaults and 602 break and enters (dwellings) over the period.
The postcode also had 2325 recorded non-domestic violence related assaults – the fourth highest number for any postcode in NSW.
The TripAdvisor page for Surry Hills includes comments noting the area has a healthy night-time economy, but some travellers encouraged others to be street smart and avoid “dark alleys in the wee small hours of the night.”
ALSO RANKED
A list of other Sydney postcodes also had more than 10,000 major crimes recorded over the five year period.
The list includes the 2145 postcode, covering Wentworthville and Greystanes, with 13,696 incidents followed by 2760, covering Ropes Crossing, Colyton, Saint Marys and Oxley Park, with 12,631 incidents.
Rounding out the list was the 2747 postcode, covering Werrington Park and Kingswood, with 11,814 incidents followed by 2200 covering Bankstown and Condell Park with 10,349 incidents.
THE SAFEST
Multiple postcodes across Sydney recorded low rates of major crime incidents over the last five years. We’ve taken a look at suburbs on the list with populations of at least 5000 residents.
BEROWRA HEIGHTS
If you’re looking for safety and security, then you might consider settling in Berowra Heights.
Located on the outskirts of Sydney’s north, the suburb – which shares its postcode with Berowra Waters – recorded just 286 major crimes over the last five years.
Sitting on Berowra Creek and surrounded by national park, the postcode of 5397 residents recorded no murders, armed robberies and relatively low numbers of other major offences.
Malicious damage to property made up a bulk of its major crimes with 93 incidents over the last five years.
MOUNT COLAH
Next on the list, is the nearby suburb of Mount Colah which clocked up 363 major crimes over the last five years – an average of just 1.4 per week.
The suburb of 7095 residents had 58 thefts from motor vehicles, 70 incidents of fraud and recorded no homicides or armed robberies.
The postcode also had one of Sydney’s lowest rates of retail theft with just two incidents recorded over the last five years.
FAIRLIGHT
Fairlight had one of the lowest crime rates in Sydney – and the lowest on the northern beaches – with 415 major crimes recorded over the last five years.
The suburb of 5840 residents had no homicides, armed robberies and relatively low numbers of other major crimes including break and enter (dwellings) and retail theft.
The postcode also had less than one-tenth of the major crimes recorded in neighbouring Manly – home to 15,866 residents – which had 4300 major crimes over the same period.
Residents in Fairlight may consider taking extra precautions with their car security with thefts from motor vehicles making up a quarter of its major recorded crime incidents (103).
NORTHBRIDGE
Northbridge was another safe haven over the last five years with the north shore suburb recording 460 major crimes over the last five years.
The suburb had no murders, armed robberies and also had one of Sydney’s lowest rates of motor vehicle theft with nine incidents recorded over the last five years.
Fraud made up the bulk of the figure with 85 incidents over the period.
BELFIELD
Belfield had one of the lowest major crime rates in Sydney’s southwest and inner west with 611 incidents over the five year period – an average of 1.5 per day.
The postcode of 6322 residents recorded no murders and was one of a handful of Sydney suburbs with no incidents of retail theft.
Fraud accounted for most of its offences at 112 incidents followed by domestic violence related assault with 92 incidents over the last five years.
The postcode’s five-year figure was a noticeable contrast to surrounding postcodes including Greenacre which had 4553 major crimes recorded along with Campsie (3694) and Lakemba (3738 incidents).
GLENBROOK
Residents in Glenbrook can sleep easy with the suburb recording one of the lowest major crime rates in Sydney’s west.
Glenbrook, which shares its postcode with Lapstone, had 612 major crime incidents over the five-year period.
Malicious damage to property made up just under a third of the figure with 203 incidents.
The postcode of 6010 residents had no homicides over the five year period, one armed robbery and recorded one of Sydney’s lowest rates of steal from person with two incidents over the period.
ALSO LISTED
Rounding out the top 15 postcodes over the last five years was Glenhaven/Kenthurst/Annangrove with 673 incidents followed by Berowra/Cowan (691), Seaforth (731), Cammeray (774), and Haberfield (829).
Next on the list was Killara (853 incidents), Woollahra (859), Georges Hall (874) and Warriewood (889).
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