Robberies, burglaries and car thefts fall according to latest statistics

9/5/99
The number of reported robberies, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts have fallen according to the latest crime statistics for Western Australia while police have achieved significant improvements in crime clearance rates across the board, Police Minister Kevin Prince said today.
Crime figures for the January-March 1999 quarter show a 16 per cent drop in robbery offences, 10 per cent fall in burglaries and a 26 per cent reduction in motor vehicle thefts compared with the same period in 1998.
The clearance rate for robberies in the January-March 1999 quarter was nearly 60 per cent - a 21 per cent improvement over the same period the previous year - while the clearance rate for burglary offences climbed five per cent to 18 per cent.
Police also lifted the clearance rate for motor vehicle theft by seven per cent to nearly 24 per cent.
"These figures show an encouraging trend and indicate that police strategies under Delta, supported by the Government's Safer WA initiative, are beginning to have an impact," Mr Prince said.
"Clearly, an unacceptable level of criminal behaviour, particularly violent offences against people, is still occurring and the Government, together with the police and the community, will always need to do more to achieve further reductions.
"There is no easy solution to our crime problem.
"However, long-term strategies adopted by the police, including targeting crime hot spots as well as repeat offenders and assisting repeat victims of crime, are starting to get results and we will continue to review and expand, where necessary, those initiatives."
Mr Prince said that while the latest crime figures showed improvements in overall clearance rates and some offence categories, he was concerned about increases in assaults and drug offences during the first quarter of 1999.
"On a positive note, the 89 per cent clearance rate for drug offences in the January-March quarter and the clearance rate for assaults, which has risen to 95 per cent is extremely encouraging and shows police are doing an excellent job," he said.
"They are implementing new crime prevention initiatives, including focusing on street loitering by gangs of anti-social youths, to help reduce the number of young people falling into the trap of committing more serious crimes as well as reviewing and refining current policing methods to make Western Australia a safer and more secure place to live.
"The Government, through the Safer WA program, continues to encourage partnerships between the police, the community, local government and relevant Government agencies to develop local solutions to local crime problems."
Media contact: Kirsten Stoney 9220 5000