April Crime Stats Media Release

The rolling year crime statistics to April show 12,465 offences were reported to police – an increase of 1,479 offences over the corresponding period.

The increase comes amid a national focus on the issue, campaigns to encourage victims to report abuse, the decision to hold a Royal Commission into domestic, sexual and family violence in South Australia and moves by the state government and police to assist victims.

The latest initiative, the Northern Domestic Violence Prevention and Recovery Hub that opened in Adelaide’s north last month, gives women more access to vital services, support and information to help keep them safe.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the Hub would improve services to victim-survivors of domestic violence.

“The role of police at the Northern Multi-Agency Hub will include facilitation of information sharing to victims and their children; delivery of disclosures under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme and ‘police station’ services for victims in terms of taking reports, statements and intervention order applications,” he said.

The latest crime statistics also reveal over the past year there were 8,967 petrol theft incidents that met the criteria for investigation – an increase of 6.3 per cent or 535 offences - over the previous year’s figure of 8,432 incidents.

While the actual number of petrol thefts is higher, a large proportion of them are not investigated for reasons that include a lack of evidence and the unlikelihood of a successful prosecution. There were 7,160 reports in this category - a 5.2 per cent increase or 357 offences - over the previous figure of 6,803 reports.

The crime statistics reveal that theft and related offending increased by nine per cent overall in the period, with the increase largely driven by the expected continuing high rates of shop theft and the increase in petrol theft.

Like the increase in shop theft, the rise in petrol theft is not confined to South Australia; it is a national crime trend driven by socio-economic factors.

Mr Stevens said fuel theft was entirely preventable if retailers implemented a pre-pay system for purchases.

Only one western suburbs petrol station in Adelaide has such a pre-pay system and it has never had a fuel theft incident.

Adelaide’s northern suburbs consistently have the highest recorded rates for fuel theft incidents, followed by the western suburbs. In April Paralowie, Smithfield and Hilton all recorded 18 offences and Para Hills West and Gepps Cross 16 offences each.

“Police have been working intensively with the fuel retail industry for more than a decade to reduce offending, encouraging retailers to introduce crime prevention measures to deter such incidents,’’ Mr Stevens said.

The 23 per cent increase in shop theft during the period can be attributed to increased reporting as police continue working with retailers proactively and the ongoing Operation Measure initiative. There was a 2.9 per cent decrease in offending in April compared with the same month last year.

“It continues to be convenience stores and liquor outlets featuring prominently,’’ Mr Stevens said.

Serious criminal trespass offences again showed minor increases with residential break-ins recording a four per cent increase – 215 offences – and non-residential a seven per cent increase – 238 offences – during the period.

Theft from a motor vehicle decreased by three per cent – 304 offences – with 9,918 offences recorded in the period. Most of this offending is due to vehicles being left unlocked or broken into after valuables are left in plain sight.

The April rolling crime statistics also reveal fraud, deception and related offences decreased by 35 per cent over the period, from 6,441 offences down to 4,217.

Sexual assault and related offences shown a slight decrease of two per cent, down to 2,404 offences recorded, compared with 2,461 the previous period. Other offences against the person decreased by seven per cent to 1,645 offences compared with 1,772 the previous period.

The number of incidents involving violence towards police continues to be high with a 23 per cent increase over the rolling year period with 612 offences reported, compared with 498 the previous period.