What the latest stats reveal about crime in the Dubbo region

According to the latest data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR ), motor vehicle theft is up 31 per cent in the Far West and Orana police district compared to five years ago.

This is only behind the New England & North West district where car theft is up 67 per cent and Richmond-Tweed where it rose by 35 per cent.

In the Central West, car theft rose by 16 per cent.

The rise in car theft in regional areas contrasts with greater Sydney, where the number of vehicles stolen remains lower than prior to the pandemic.

However, vehicles stolen in regional areas were more likely to be recovered, suggesting they were stolen for joyriding and transport purposes.

Commenting on the findings, BOCSAR Executive Director, Jackie Fitzgerald, said the increase in vehicle theft in regional areas is partially a bounce-back from the COVID-driven crime declines of 2020 and 2021.

"Another factor however, may be young people being spurred on by social media posts encouraging vehicle thefts on TikTok," she said.

Between January and March of 2023, there were 167 motor vehicle thefts recorded in the Far West and Orana police district. January 2023 saw the highest number of offences with 63.

The most commonly recorded crime in the region in the first quarter of 2023 was malicious damage of property with 567 offences.

This was closely followed by domestic violence assault with 477 recorded offences.

This was followed by non-domestic assaults with 316 recorded offences, other stealing offences with 301 incidents and break and enter of a dwelling with 253.

However, the data isn't all negative.

Orana and Far West Superintendent Tim Chinn said statistics within a five year period were "reasonably positive", showing crime has come down in a number of areas.

Break and enter of a dwelling in the area has fallen by an average of 5.6 per cent over the past five years, stealing from a motor vehicle saw an average decrease of 4.8 per cent, other stealing offences have dropped by 6.7 per cent and malicious damage to property has dropped by 4.8 per cent.

The rate of violent offences like robbery, assault, sexual assault and other sexual offences has remained steady over the five year period.

"It's pleasing to see that most offences are down naturally but obviously we don't want to see sexual or violent offences being stagnant or increasing," said Superintendent Chinn.

"We want to make sure they're a priority and that's why we look to the community and other services using various strategies to try and make an impact on those."

The latest figures come after Dubbo Regional Council voted against the idea of a crime summit to deal with the issue last month.

Councillor Josh Black pushed for the summit, and said the council could "do better" than sit back and say crime isn't part of the region.

Cr Black said crime in the region was "travelling in the wrong direction" but Mayor Mathew Dickerson, who voted against it, said a summit would be "a bad look" and crime could be dealt with in "a whole range of different ways".

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