The Western Bay of Plenty's 'changing criminal environment” has been attributed to an increase in burglaries and thefts over the past few years.
The latest crime statistics show there were 2504 burglaries in the Western Bay of Plenty to November 2017, compared to 1582 burglaries in the year ending November 2015.
Theft and related offences jumped from 5273 in November 2015 to 5490 in November 2017.
Western Bay of Plenty area commander, Inspector Clifford Paxton, says the district has seen an increase in dishonesty-related offending, principally burglary in 2016 and theft in 2017.
'This is on the back of significant changes in our environment, particularly around drugs and organised crime,” says Inspector Paxton.
'What we do see is a link between drug-related offending and dishonesty and similarly alcohol and violence. Burglary remains a priority for the area and is actively managed to ensure the focus remains on this area.”
An organised crime taskforce, made up of six special investigators and three asset recovery specialists, was launched in Tauranga earlier this month in response to organised criminals with ‘trans-national' ties operating in the region.
Overall, victimisations in the Western Bay of Plenty district were up nine per cent in the year ending November 2016 – from 8705 to 9528 – and another five per cent in the year ending November 2017 – up to 10, 052 victimisations.
'Earlier increases in dishonesty offending haven't continued at the levels previously seen,” adds Inspector Paxton, 'but are still sitting higher than traditionally experienced.
'The community continues to grow rapidly and this, along with the changing criminal environment, has seen offending levels increase on previous years.”
The number of sexual assaults and related offences continued to climb from 164 to 209 in the year ending November 2016 and up to 248 in the year ending November 2017.
Inspector Paxton says community awareness and attention to this area is likely to see reporting continue to increase, along with increased confidence to report these matters to police.
'Increases in reporting is a positive trend and one we would like to see continue,” he says.
Since 2016, crime statistics have focused on individual victims of crime, and the number of offenders apprehended for a criminal offence.
The figures exclude types of crime that have no direct victim, such as drug offences and drink driving. They also do not include crimes resulting in death, such as murder and manslaughter.
Due to the often longer length of time involved in investigating these offences, these figures are reported separately.