A VIOLENT 12 months has seen Wagga catapult into the state’s top eight localities for murders, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research figures released yesterday.
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While crime rates were stable or dropped in 14 of the 17 major categories, murder and break, enter and steal offences have increased in the past year.
Bankstown is the most dangerous locality with seven recorded murders, followed by Blacktown, Canterbury and Tweed with four murders each and Wagga, Liverpool, Parramatta and Fairfield with three each.
Wagga Police crime manager Detective Inspector Darren Cloake says the rise in break, enter and steal offences was disappointing.
“This is really disappointing considering the work police have done,” he said.
“January alone represented 75 cases of break enter and steal in two weeks. This didn't help.
“We’ve arrested and charged many with these break and enter offences. One offender alone was charged with 45 offences.”
Domestic violence continues to be a problem in the community with more than 1000 cases recorded in the past 12 months.
Bail laws continue to be scrutinised after breach of bail offences rose 7.8 per cent across the state in 2016-17.
Detective Inspector Cloake said Wagga police have been successful with recent major operations targeting both “big fish” offenders and petty criminals.
“The biggest crime risks to the Wagga Local Area Command continues to be break, enter and steal; steal from a motor vehicle; fraud and retail theft,” he said.
“One in four of these crime types are committed by young offenders aged between 14 and 18 years.
“Community safety and vigilance has to be maintained, and it’s pleasing to see that all other areas of crime are steady or below target.”
Across the state, crime rates have remained stable or fallen over the last two years, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.
The only major exception to this is stealing from a retail store with was up 5.4 per cent.
The most commonly shoplifted items were liquor, clothing, personal items such as cosmetics, toiletries and razors followed by food.
Offences related to the possession and/or use of cocaine increased 33.7 per cent in NSW during the reporting period.
