Crime numbers in decline, new data shows

Incidents of crime in Narrabri Shire are declining while other parts of the North West region deal with an increase in assault and robbery offences, latest data shows.

The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has updated its information showing a complete set of numbers from 2024.

What the numbers show is a drop in incidents of all types in the shire, spanning various categories of assault, robbery, sexual offences, theft and drug offences.

In 2024, Narrabri was the only shire in the region to report an overall decline in assault offences while Moree Plains, Gunnedah and Tamworth saw its numbers increase.

Narrabri Shire recorded 174 incidents in 2024 compared to 195 in 2023. In Moree Plains Shire, 470 incidents were recorded last year, increasing from 454 in 2023. Gunnedah recorded 230 from 204 in the previous year, and Tamworth 1239 from 939 in 2023.

Domestic violence incidents, however, increased in Narrabri and most parts of the region as well as at a state level.

Theft, including stolen motor vehicles, steal from motor vehicles and break-and-enters have also declined in Narrabri Shire.

Narrabri Shire recorded 308 incidents, a decline on the 493 reported in 2023. BOCSAR’s 10-year data shows that 535 incidents were reported in 2015 before declining and then gradually increasing after the COVID pandemic.

In neighbouring Moree Plains, 1122 incidents were recorded in 2024 compared to 1276 in 2023, Gunnedah 517 in 2024 and 562 in 2023, and Tamworth 2344 in 2024 to 2376 in 2023.

A breakdown of types of theft shows declines across most areas including stolen vehicles and break-and-enters. Property break-ins were at the lowest level in 2024 compared to the previous 10 years, BOCSAR statistics show.

Meanwhile, Gunnedah’s number of break-in incidents was almost double Narrabri Shire’s. Moree Plains was almost five times higher than Narrabri.

At a state level, BOCSAR says the statistics show crime is stable overall.

Executive director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Jackie Fitzgerald, said it’s pleasing to see crime rates have been stable over the past two years.

“None of the 13 major crime categories increased in the two-years to December 2024, while one, steal from motor vehicle, fell significantly,” she said.

“For many offences, the recent stable trend follows years of decline. As a consequence, recorded incidents of robbery, break and enter, general stealing and malicious damage to property are all much lower than a decade ago.

“Recorded incidents of domestic assault, non-domestic assault and sexual violence, however, have increased over the past decade.

“One unfortunate outlier in the latest crime statistics is the high number of murders recorded. In 2024, NSW recorded 85 murder victims, marking the highest annual number since 2014, when the state recorded 93 murder victims.

“The large number of murders in 2024 is due to an unusually high number of events involving multiple murder victims; with the incident in April 2024 at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre accounting for six victims alone.”

In the ten years to December 2024, five of the 13 major offence categories increased significantly: Domestic violence assault (up 3.1 per cent per year on average), non-domestic assault (up 1.3 per cent per year on average), sexual assault (up 8.8 per cent per year on average), sexual touching, sexual act and other sexual offences (up 2.9 per cent per year on average), and steal from retail store (up 2.7 per cent per year on average).