The Wingecarribee Shire had higher rates of retail theft in the past year than almost half of the state, according to a new crime report.
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The latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) quarterly report shows stealing from a retail store has increased by 113.7 per cent over 24 months from January 2017 to December 2018.
According to the report, there were 109 incidents of reported retail theft in 2018, compared to 51 cases in 2017.
These figures put the Wingecarribee in 61st place out of 120 local government areas for this crime category.
According to BOCSAR, theft from a retail store occurred more frequently on a weekday during daylight hours.
The thefts took place at retail and wholesale premises in 73.4 per cent of cases, while 23.9 per cent of cases happened on licensed premises.
However the figures show downward and stable trends in three other categories of theft.
Rates of stealing from a dwelling are down by 29.9 per cent, with 54 cases in 2018 compared to 77 cases in 2017.
Meanwhile motor vehicle theft remained stable with 36 cases in 2018 compared with 38 cases in 2017, as did cases of stealing from a motor vehicle.
Break and enter offences
Break and enter into a non-dwelling decreased by almost 30 per cent last year, with 47 cases compared to 67 in 2017.
According to BOCSAR data, 31.9 per cent of premises were retail and wholesale buildings.
Schools and other educational premises were the target in 17 per cent of cases in 2018, while licensed premises made up 14.9 per cent of cases.
Fifty-five per cent of break and enter offences occurred at night, while 44.7 of cases were more brazen and happened during the day.
Break and enter into a dwelling remained stable between January 2017 and December 2018, with 65 cases in 2018 compared with 75 cases in 2017.
Rate of assaults
Non-domestic violence related assault was down by 8.1 per cent in the Wingecarribee Shire in 2018.
According to the latest BOCSAR quarterly report, there were 94 cases of this category of assault last year, compared to 103 reports in 2017.
Highlanders who experienced a non-domestic violence related assault in 2018 were more likely to be on a road, street or footpath, with 26.5 per cent of incidents happening in these locations.
Meanwhile 21.6 per cent of assaults in this category happened in a house, and 11.8 per cent happened at a licensed premises.
In 63 per cent of cases, alcohol was not consumed by the perpetrator.
The number of domestic violence reports decreased but remained stable overall, with 94 reports in 2018 compared with 103 cases in 2017.
Almost 90 per cent of domestic violence cases occurred in homes.
Sexual assault figures also decreased slightly but remained stable over a 24-month period, with 27 cases in 2018 and 32 cases in 2017.
Cases of indecent assault, acts of indecency and other sexual offences increased slightly to 51 reports, compared to 43 reports made to police in 2017.
Other crime rates
The number of fraud crimes committed increased to 184 cases in 2018 from 169 cases in 2017.
Malicious property damage remained stable, with 334 cases in 2018, which was an increase of 10 reports from 2017.
BOCSAR figures show there were three cases of robbery without a weapon in 2018, and no reports of robberies with a weapon or a firearm.
Below is more information about crime trends over a 24-month period in the Wingecarribee Shire from BOCSAR:
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