Total reported crime drops in Counties Manukau

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Total reported crime is dropping but sexual assault offences are up in Counties Manukau, the first police district to release figures for the 2012/13 financial year today.

With national recorded crime dropping 7.4 percent on the previous financial year, Counties Manukau reported falls in reports of robbery (18.5 percent), assault (15.2 percent), harassment and threatening behaviour (14.8 percent) and theft excluding motor vehicles (3.5 per cent).

Car crime is down significantly in the past seven financial years, with reported numbers of thefts from cars down 37 per cent and stolen vehicles down 38 per cent.

However reported sexual assault offences are up 16.2 per cent on the previous fiscal year.

Police said this was positive and the result of more trust in officers rather than more offences occurring.

In many cultures, sexual offences are considered shameful and victims may be pressured by family to not report the crimes, they added.

The level of total reported crime for the district is the lowest recorded per head of population since electronic records began.

Other police districts are due to release their crime statistics later today.