The level of crime has been increasing in the Bay of Plenty region for at least the past five years, with nearly the same amount of crime in 2020 as the year previous despite the Covid-19 lockdowns. But what does this mean? Luke Kirkness takes a closer look to see what the numbers represent.
The amount of crime committed in the Bay of Plenty has increased steadily since 2015 but there was a slight plateau last year due to the Covid-19.
However, in some crime areas, the number of offences increased in 2020 following the lockdowns.
A reformed drug kingpin who runs a rehabilitation course for offenders thinks the level of crime will only increase unless there is a big shift in society.
Rotorua man Billy Macfarlane thought everyone, not just criminals, needed to put aside their differences.
"These days we're staunchly independent, we're judgemental, we're jealous, hurtful, these are all things that society is [today]," he said.
"Society is becoming very unkind and what I see happening, I foresee in the next five years things getting really bad as far as statistics go.
"We've got to look at ways to mitigate that problem instead of punishments. We think we can punish our way out of the problem and we can't."
Macfarlane thought if people rolled up their sleeves, helped others, cared for strangers, instead of talking about problems, they would start to address the problem.
In 2020, there were 17,168 victimisations in the region according to New Zealand Police, a slight decrease on the year before of 18,084.
Victimisations count each occasion of a person being victimised for a given type of offence division, a police spokesperson told the Bay of Plenty Times.
For example, "common assault" falls under the "acts intended to cause injury" division, according to the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology.
Victimisations were classed according to the most serious offences within an offence division and they wre counted regardless of whether an offender was identified or not.
While the number of crimes in 2020 was lower than in 2019, there were instances when the number of offences was actually higher.
In Rotorua, acts intended to cause injury, and theft and related offences were the highest they have been. Sexual assault and related offences were equal-highest with 2019.
And in Tauranga, sexual assault and related offences, theft and related offences, and robbery, extortion and related offences were higher than they have been in the past five years.
The level of burglary, general theft, serious assaults, and road policing crime declined during alert level 4 and 3 in April and May last year.
Many crimes were expected to return to normal levels as restrictions eased, however, it was anticipated some could increase, the police spokesperson said.
"For example, experience in New Zealand and overseas shows family harm can escalate during and after large-scale disasters or crises when stress and issues such as unemployment and poverty can exacerbate existing problems."
Tauranga MP Simon Bridges thought it made sense there would be a decrease due to Covid-19 factors but there had been a recent increase.
"Over the last six months I've received a lot of feedback - probably more than at any other time in my career - about serious anti-social behaviour through to serious criminality in Tauranga," he said.
"I've been told of intimidation and disorder in the streets, drug deals, and serious violence where after calls to police none have turned up.
"This is becoming a more and more common complaint and gives me a bit of scepticism about the numbers."
The Government acknowledged the pandemic had increased pressure on families and more victims were becoming isolated, Labour list MP Tāmati Coffey said.
In response, Coffey said they had invested in grassroots services to better support those experiencing abuse.
"Only by working together, and doing things differently, are we going to make the change we need to."
Coffey, who ran for the Waiariki electorate, said the Government had acknowledged they could not "combat the threat of crime or meth" alone.
"Our community has appreciated this honest approach and [echoed] to me that there is a role for all of us to play," he said.
"This new approach strengthens partnerships with our iwi, Māori and local health providers, council, community organisations and more to achieve the best outcomes for whānau."
Meanwhile, the Bay of Plenty provisionally had the highest percentage population growth of all regions in the year ending June 2020, Stats NZ revealed in October.
The population grew by 9100 people or 2.8 per cent, with high growth in Tauranga city and Western Bay of Plenty district behind the drive.
Macfarlane said population growth could be partly responsible but thought lost connections with culture, especially among Māori, were to blame.
"Māori do have really bad statistics in terms of doing things wrong," he said. "I always keep putting it back to our lack of connection with our culture.
"What I do in my work, I see how we excel when we move into our culture."
Coffey thought creating a more diverse police force was a positive step in the right direction.
"In July last year, we celebrated more women, Māori, and Pasifika Police officers on the frontline. This diversity helps," he said.
"I also want to acknowledge the appointment of Waiariki's own Wally Haumaha in our first-term in Government to the role of Deputy Commissioner of Police."
The importance of having a strong Māori perspective in police leadership could not be underscored enough, Coffey said.
The police spokesperson urged anyone who was a victim of crime or had concerns for the safety of themselves or others to alert police.
Anyone with concerns for their immediate safety or others should call 111, while anyone wishing to report a crime after it happened can call 105, they said.
Bay of Plenty victimisations
2015
Acts intended to cause injury
Tauranga: 600
Rotorua: 496
Whakatāne: 189
Bay of Plenty total: 1547
Sexual assault and related offences
• Tauranga: 42
• Rotorua: 29
• Whakatāne: 19
• Bay of Plenty total: 108
Abduction, harassment and related offences
• Tauranga: 1
• Rotorua: 5
• Whakatāne: 2
• Bay of Plenty total: 9
Robbery, extortion and related offences
• Tauranga: 55
• Rotorua: 60
• Whakatāne: 19
• Bay of Plenty total: 147
Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter
• Tauranga: 1076
• Rotorua: 1640
• Whakatāne: 562
• Bay of Plenty total: 4071
Theft and related offences
• Tauranga: 3445
• Rotorua: 2746
• Whakatāne: 943
• Bay of Plenty total: 8111
2016
Acts intended to cause injury
• Tauranga: 620
• Rotorua: 527
• Whakatāne: 178
• Bay of Plenty total: 1589
Sexual assault and related offences
• Tauranga: 59
• Rotorua: 34
• Whakatāne: 15
• Bay of Plenty total: 131
Abduction, harassment and related offences
• Tauranga: 7
• Rotorua: 7
• Whakatāne: Null
• Bay of Plenty total: 17
Robbery, extortion and related offences
• Tauranga: 58
• Rotorua: 77
• Whakatāne: 33
• Bay of Plenty total: 187
Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter
• Tauranga: 1571
• Rotorua: 1953
• Whakatāne: 708
• Bay of Plenty total: 5196
Theft and related offences
• Tauranga: 3526
• Rotorua: 3141
• Whakatāne: 933
• Bay of Plenty total: 8565
2017
Acts intended to cause injury
• Tauranga: 623
• Rotorua: 533
• Whakatāne: 215
• Bay of Plenty total: 1648
Sexual assault and related offences
• Tauranga: 59
• Rotorua: 35
• Whakatāne: 12
• Bay of Plenty total: 122
Abduction, harassment and related offences
• Tauranga: 7
• Rotorua: 3
• Whakatāne: 1
• Bay of Plenty total: 14
Robbery, extortion and related offences
• Tauranga: 59
• Rotorua: 79
• Whakatāne: 21
• Bay of Plenty total: 182
Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter
• Tauranga: 1708
• Rotorua: 1674
• Whakatāne: 723
• Bay of Plenty total: 4958
Theft and related offences
• Tauranga: 4111
• Rotorua: 2980
• Whakatāne: 1000
• Bay of Plenty total: 9140
2018
Acts intended to cause injury
• Tauranga: 717
• Rotorua: 558
• Whakatāne: 217
• Bay of Plenty total: 1791
Sexual assault and related offences
• Tauranga: 67
• Rotorua: 24
• Whakatāne: 17
• Bay of Plenty total: 128
Abduction, harassment and related offences
• Tauranga: 5
• Rotorua: 5
• Whakatāne: 3
• Bay of Plenty total: 16
Robbery, extortion and related offences
• Tauranga: 50
• Rotorua: 78
• Whakatāne: 12
• Bay of Plenty total: 157
Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter
• Tauranga: 1603
• Rotorua: 1442
• Whakatāne: 582
• Bay of Plenty total: 4540
Theft and related offences
• Tauranga: 4126
• Rotorua: 2865
• Whakatāne: 1037
• Bay of Plenty total: 9287
2019
Acts intended to cause injury
• Tauranga: 911
• Rotorua: 660
• Whakatāne: 248
• Bay of Plenty total: 2128
Sexual assault and related offences
• Tauranga: 70
• Rotorua: 25
• Whakatāne: 17
• Bay of Plenty total: 131
Abduction, harassment and related offences
• Tauranga: 5
• Rotorua: 7
• Whakatāne: 3
• Bay of Plenty total: 17
Robbery, extortion and related offences
• Tauranga: 63
• Rotorua: 63
• Whakatāne: 21
• Bay of Plenty total: 190
Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter
• Tauranga: 1699
• Rotorua: 1599
• Whakatāne: 644
• Bay of Plenty total: 5054
Theft and related offences
• Tauranga: 4362
• Rotorua: 3439
• Whakatāne: 1291
• Bay of Plenty total: 10,564
2020
Acts intended to cause injury
• Tauranga: 900
• Rotorua: 710
• Whakatāne: 238
• Bay of Plenty total: 2156
Sexual assault and related offences
• Tauranga: 77
• Rotorua: 25
• Whakatāne: 11
• Bay of Plenty total: 132
Abduction, harassment and related offences
• Tauranga: 6
• Rotorua: 3
• Whakatāne: 8
• Bay of Plenty total: 17
Robbery, extortion and related offences
• Tauranga: 76
• Rotorua: 56
• Whakatāne: 15
• Bay of Plenty total: 171
Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter
• Tauranga: 1409
• Rotorua: 1294
• Whakatāne: 546
• Bay of Plenty total: 4181
Theft and related offences
• Tauranga: 4656
• Rotorua: 3550
• Whakatāne: 1020
• Bay of Plenty total: 10,511
Data sourced from police website. Other Bay of Plenty region territorial authorities include Kawerau, Ōpōtiki , Taupō, and Western Bay of Plenty.
