Published Thursday, 13 November, 2008 at 01:35 PM
Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport
The Honourable Judy Spence
Encouraging results for North Coast Region
Assistant Commissioner Graham Rynders applauded North Coast Region police for their efforts in driving down crime in the region by nine percent. The result, contained in the Queensland Police Service (QPS) 2007-08 Annual Statistical Review, was the equal best for the state.
The Annual Statistical Review and Annual Report, tabled in Parliament today by the Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport Judy Spence, presents a comprehensive insight into the level and nature of crime reported for each police region and district throughout Queensland.
Minister Spence and Assistant Commissioner Rynders praised the results and gave special thanks to the members of the North Coast Region for their hard work and dedication to making this area a safer place.
“The government has a commitment to and investment in policing in Queensland. We are tough on crime and the causes of crime. The fact that the overall crime rate continues to fall is indicative of this stance,” Ms Spence said.
Assistant Commissioner Rynders said the review reflected the success police were enjoying as they continued to clamp down on crime across the region.
“Assaults are down 12 percent, break-ins are down 12 percent, fraud is down by 25 percent and other theft is down by 16 percent. These are all excellent results built on outstanding police work that is adapting and meeting the needs of the community,” Assistant Commissioner Rynders said.
Police had an excellent year combating break-ins. In addition to the 12 percent overall drop cited above, there were declines in break-ins to homes (down by 17 percent), break-ins to shops (down by eight percent) and break-ins to other premises (down by five percent).
“The region saw declines in a number of other property offences including arson, which fell by 21 percent, unlawful use of motor vehicles, which fell by seven percent, and other property damage, which fell by nine percent,” he said.
Overall robbery offences, including armed robbery, fell slightly by one percent. The number of armed robbery offences in 2007/08 was 83.
Significant gains were also made in combating kidnapping and abduction offences with the number of reported offences falling from 50 in 2006/07 to 32 in 2007/08.
“The majority of offences recorded under kidnapping and abduction included deprivation of a person’s liberty during domestic violence matters, serious assaults and assaults of a minor nature.
“It also includes any approaches of a threatening nature where there is no actual physical abduction, for example, approaches made to a member of the community in the street by a person not known to them,” Assistant Commissioner Rynders said.
Tragically the number of homicides throughout the region increased from four in 2006/07 to 13 in 2007/08. Within Gympie District, two homicides related to one incident committed by a single offender.
Rape and attempted rape went from 260 offences in 2006/07 to 357 in 2007/08. The increase is primarily attributable to three offenders being charged with 81 offences. There is also an increase in the willingness of victims to report historical matters. Eleven per cent of these matters were reported to police 10 or more years after they had occurred. Other types of sexual offences fell dramatically by 32 percent in the last reporting period.
“The QPS made considerable inroads in the war against fraud in 2007/08. A 25 percent decline in all fraud offences is indicative of this. This result was built upon a 32 percent fall in cheque fraud, a 43 percent fall in credit card fraud and a 23 percent fall in other fraud.”
Disappointingly, the number of computer fraud offences rose from 98 in 2006/07 to 126 in 2007/08.
There were 35 instances of identity fraud which was a stand alone category for the first time in 2007/08.
“This is an excellent opportunity to stress the need for vigilance when conducting online transactions. People are conducting more and more of their lives online and while it is often more convenient people need to remember to be as cautious as they would in face-to-face transactions. If something is too good to be true, it probably is,” Assistant Commissioner Rynders said.
“The recent promotion of the QPS’s successful inroads into prosecuting computer fraud has helped drive a large increase in detection of that offence.
The number of Weapons Act offences increased by four to 724, while the number of prostitution offences fell from nine in 2006/07 to seven in 2007/08.
“Increases in some crime categories can be positive. For instance the three percent increase in drug offences, the 13 percent increase in liquor offences and 12 percent increase in good order offences all reflect the fact that police are out on the streets throughout the region, using intelligence to crack down on anti-social behaviour and making our communities safer in the process,” he said.
The North Coast Region encompasses the six policing districts of Bundaberg, Caboolture, Gympie, Maryborough, Redcliffe and Sunshine Coast.
Note: All percentages used in the release relate to the number of reported offences per 100,000 people. Media seeking regional and district crime statistics from the Queensland Police Service 2007-08 Annual Statistical Review can locate details on the QPS website at www.police.qld.gov.au. There is a link from the homepage to the current statistical review, which was tabled in State Parliament today.
Media contacts: Minister’s Office – 3239 6218
Police media – 3015 2444
The Annual Statistical Review and Annual Report, tabled in Parliament today by the Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport Judy Spence, presents a comprehensive insight into the level and nature of crime reported for each police region and district throughout Queensland.
Minister Spence and Assistant Commissioner Rynders praised the results and gave special thanks to the members of the North Coast Region for their hard work and dedication to making this area a safer place.
“The government has a commitment to and investment in policing in Queensland. We are tough on crime and the causes of crime. The fact that the overall crime rate continues to fall is indicative of this stance,” Ms Spence said.
Assistant Commissioner Rynders said the review reflected the success police were enjoying as they continued to clamp down on crime across the region.
“Assaults are down 12 percent, break-ins are down 12 percent, fraud is down by 25 percent and other theft is down by 16 percent. These are all excellent results built on outstanding police work that is adapting and meeting the needs of the community,” Assistant Commissioner Rynders said.
Police had an excellent year combating break-ins. In addition to the 12 percent overall drop cited above, there were declines in break-ins to homes (down by 17 percent), break-ins to shops (down by eight percent) and break-ins to other premises (down by five percent).
“The region saw declines in a number of other property offences including arson, which fell by 21 percent, unlawful use of motor vehicles, which fell by seven percent, and other property damage, which fell by nine percent,” he said.
Overall robbery offences, including armed robbery, fell slightly by one percent. The number of armed robbery offences in 2007/08 was 83.
Significant gains were also made in combating kidnapping and abduction offences with the number of reported offences falling from 50 in 2006/07 to 32 in 2007/08.
“The majority of offences recorded under kidnapping and abduction included deprivation of a person’s liberty during domestic violence matters, serious assaults and assaults of a minor nature.
“It also includes any approaches of a threatening nature where there is no actual physical abduction, for example, approaches made to a member of the community in the street by a person not known to them,” Assistant Commissioner Rynders said.
Tragically the number of homicides throughout the region increased from four in 2006/07 to 13 in 2007/08. Within Gympie District, two homicides related to one incident committed by a single offender.
Rape and attempted rape went from 260 offences in 2006/07 to 357 in 2007/08. The increase is primarily attributable to three offenders being charged with 81 offences. There is also an increase in the willingness of victims to report historical matters. Eleven per cent of these matters were reported to police 10 or more years after they had occurred. Other types of sexual offences fell dramatically by 32 percent in the last reporting period.
“The QPS made considerable inroads in the war against fraud in 2007/08. A 25 percent decline in all fraud offences is indicative of this. This result was built upon a 32 percent fall in cheque fraud, a 43 percent fall in credit card fraud and a 23 percent fall in other fraud.”
Disappointingly, the number of computer fraud offences rose from 98 in 2006/07 to 126 in 2007/08.
There were 35 instances of identity fraud which was a stand alone category for the first time in 2007/08.
“This is an excellent opportunity to stress the need for vigilance when conducting online transactions. People are conducting more and more of their lives online and while it is often more convenient people need to remember to be as cautious as they would in face-to-face transactions. If something is too good to be true, it probably is,” Assistant Commissioner Rynders said.
“The recent promotion of the QPS’s successful inroads into prosecuting computer fraud has helped drive a large increase in detection of that offence.
The number of Weapons Act offences increased by four to 724, while the number of prostitution offences fell from nine in 2006/07 to seven in 2007/08.
“Increases in some crime categories can be positive. For instance the three percent increase in drug offences, the 13 percent increase in liquor offences and 12 percent increase in good order offences all reflect the fact that police are out on the streets throughout the region, using intelligence to crack down on anti-social behaviour and making our communities safer in the process,” he said.
The North Coast Region encompasses the six policing districts of Bundaberg, Caboolture, Gympie, Maryborough, Redcliffe and Sunshine Coast.
Note: All percentages used in the release relate to the number of reported offences per 100,000 people. Media seeking regional and district crime statistics from the Queensland Police Service 2007-08 Annual Statistical Review can locate details on the QPS website at www.police.qld.gov.au. There is a link from the homepage to the current statistical review, which was tabled in State Parliament today.
Media contacts: Minister’s Office – 3239 6218
Police media – 3015 2444