Crime on the decline but stealing remains a big issue

Crime in the Great Southern has dropped significantly in the first quarter of 2019-20 according to the latest WA Police crime statistics.

For the months of July, August and September, crime in the district dropped by 10.6 per cent compared with the same period in 2018-19. Assaults by family and non-family, threatening behaviour, robbery, burglary, property damage and vehicle theft were all down.

Great Southern Superintendent Ian Clarke said the decrease in crime was an indication of proactive police work.

“You look at the stuff that police are doing in conjunction with NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and government agencies to deal with some of the social aspects that contribute to crime,” he said.

“Equally the work that is done by the troops from an operational perspective, whether that is through targeting shoplifters or burglary operations or whatever the current pressure points are in the various communities. “More often than not it is to target a small group of people that are actually responsible for a large amount of the offending.”

With 396 counts of stealing in the first quarter, he said stealing remained an ongoing concern for police.

“It is one of those offences that in many cases it is the soft target — things like shop stealing and general theft are some of the things that criminals will do because it is easy,” Supt Clarke said.

“The message we continue to send out to the community is make it hard for them.

“It is up to you as a homeowner and a business owner to do what you can to make your place safe and minimise opportunities.”