Home invasions and the Australian suburbs with the highest crime rates

Peter Dickson’s terrified daughter hid in a wardrobe when she heard intruders. Grandfather Allan Kerr suffered injuries so severe he almost lost an arm. See where our worst burglaries are.

Documentary maker Peter Dickson’s terrified 17-year old daughter hid in a wardrobe when she heard intruders breaking into her family’s holiday home.

Armed with machetes, the intruders tore through the house turning on lights, bursting into bedrooms looking for valuables while the family was at home.

Just weeks later in an unrelated incident in Kingscliff in northern NSW, intruders also allegedly armed with a machete, burst into the home of 66-year-old grandfather Allan Kerr in a confrontation that left one of the intruders dead and Allan suffering injuries so severe he almost lost an arm. One man has been charged over the incident.

They are just two of the terrifying home invasions that take place roughly every 30 minutes somewhere in Australia.

In the past financial year 21,500 residents across the country reported being confronted by a perpetrator during a break-in, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Crime Victimisation Australia report.

Peter Dickson and his family were terrorised during a home invasion. Picture: David Caird

Allan Kerr almost lost his arm during a violent home invasion in northern NSW. Picture: Supplied

There were 185,300 reported break-ins for the same 2022-2023 year and another 194,700 attempted break-ins.

The most popular items stolen were jewellery and clothing, followed by money, a purse or wallet, tools, bicycles or sporting equipment.

While crime rates for break-ins and home invasions had fallen substantially in the past decade, they started to rise again for the first time in 2022 after Covid.

The ABS head of crime and justice statistics Will Milne said the lowest number of break-ins in years was 171,600 in 2020-21 during lockdowns. But the number jumped back to 194,100 in 2021-2022 and had remained steady.

Where the most home invasions have happened in Sydney.

A heat map of home invasions in Brisbane.

The statistics come after a string of tragic home invasions in the past few months including the death of Adelaide doctor Michael Yung.

He was killed during a home invasion in December in the suburb of Gilberton. A couple have been charged in relation to the death of the 61 year-old pediatrician. The matter is still before the courts.

In January a 33-year-old Melbourne doctor, Ash Gordon, was killed after a home invasion in Doncaster. He was stabbed and hit by a car after he chased the intruders who robbed his unit taking shoes and a laptop.

NSW Police Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said there has been a level of brazenness about some home invasions recently and he advised residents to take precautions and “target harden” homes.

Where Melbourne’s home inavasions have been centred.

Home invasions in Adelaide.

“Don’t make it easy for them. Ensure windows and door are locked and lift your level of security with things like CCTV and sensor lights.”

In Mr Dickson’s case the intruders stole his car keys and his Nissan Path Finder car, a lot of his work equipment, laptop phone, wallet and headphones after breaking into the Point Lonsdale home in Victoria.

NSW Police Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi.

Mr Dickson said he and his family are still recovering from their orderl. Picture: David Caird

Mr Dickson said his daughter Sash had heard and saw the intruders breaking in and froze hiding in her closet. He said he was dead to the world asleep and didn’t hear them try to get into his and his wife’s bedroom.

“They tried to get into our bedroom, but the doorknob was busted and there was a trick to opening it.”

Mr Dickson said he eventually woke up when the intruders ripped a play station out of the wall in an adjoining room.

A man arrested following a home invasion on the state’s north coast, resulting in the death of a man and another seriously injured at Kingscliff. Picture: NSW Police

Mr Dickson said ‘it was the brazenness” that was so alarming.

“They knew we were there. They had no fear that of confrontation.”

Mr Dickson said he is speaking out because he wants people to know how bad it is and be vigilant.

He said if it can happen in Point Lonsdale, a safe, coastal town where people rarely lock their doors – it can happen anywhere.

NSW Police Scientific Officers photograph the crime scene outisde Mr Kerr’s home. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Scott Powick

Mr Kerr, a father of three and grandfather of eight, who had to have surgery to save his arm said he and his family’s lives have turned upside down by the home invasion.

He said he was watching television and having a cup of tea at home in his normally quiet, dead end street when the home invasion took place.

He is not sure if he can every return to live in the same house – where he and his wife had lived happily and raised their daughters for 28 years.

Mr Kerr has only been back once for a “minute” to gather some things and he was shocked at the scene.

“There was blood everywhere from the front door to the ceiling and floor,” he said.

“It is such a waste. They destroyed my life and my kids and my grandkids. We are a close family and we would have Sunday BBQs at my house. I don’t know if we can do that anymore.”

Originally published as Home invasions and the Australian suburbs with the highest crime rates