Robbery and theft related offending in South Australia has continued to decrease significantly, the latest crime statistics have revealed.
The January rolling year crime statistics reveal every category of robbery has recorded a decline while theft related offences including house break-ins, shop theft and car theft have continued their steady decrease.
Shop theft has recorded its third successive decrease with a five per cent decline – from 18,422 to 17,436 reported offences – this period. This follows a three per cent decrease in the December period and two per cent decrease in the November period.
The decrease of almost 1,000 reported offences is attributed to the sustained pressure being applied by both Operation Measure and proactive initiatives undertaken in individual policing districts targeting recidivist offenders.
Acting Assistant Commissioner (Metropolitan Operations Service) John De Candia said he was confident the tactics being used by police to combat shop theft were contributing to the continued decrease in reported offences.
"The assistance from the retail industry is also a contributing factor and we anticipate that with the recently announced boost in resources for Operation Measure the environment for shop thieves will become even more difficult,'' he said.
Car theft and theft from a vehicle have continued to decrease significantly in the January rolling year period. Reported car theft dropped by 12 per cent or 463 offences – from 3,913 to 3,450 offences. This followed an 11 per cent decrease in the December period and an eight per cent decline in the November period.
Theft from a vehicle declined by 20 per cent – from 10,270 to 8,188 reported offences. This followed a 19 per cent drop in both the December and November periods.
Other theft, the category that includes fuel theft, recorded a six per cent decline in the period – a decrease of 1,496 reported offences from 23,068 to 21,572. This followed a five per cent decline in the December rolling year period. Fuel theft comprises approximately 30 per cent of this category.
The January rolling year figures reveal house break-ins declined for the seventh successive period with a five per cent decline in reported offences from 5,910 to 5,611. This followed a six per cent decline in the December period.
The rolling year figures reveal every category of robbery and related offending decreased during the period with a 20 per cent decline - 179 offences - reported. This followed a 22 per cent decline in the December period and a 26 per cent drop in the November period.
Aggravated robbery offences declined by 20 per cent or 101 offences – from 517 offences to 416 offences while non-aggravated robbery declined by six per cent, from 80 offences to 75 reported offences. Blackmail and extortion offences declined by 23 per cent – from 315 reported offences to 242 reported offences.
The number of murders committed has also continued to decline with a 50 per cent decrease in reported offences – from 22 to 11. The number has returned to traditional levels after a spike in offending levels.
While homicide rates have decreased, the number of serious assaults resulting in injury increased marginally in the period – from 3,706 reported offences to 3,758 reported offences while common assault rose by two per cent – from 5,507 reported offences to 5,610 reported offences.
