New crime data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) reveals contrasting trends in the Illawarra region: while vehicle thefts have fallen significantly, sexual assault reports have risen sharply over the past five years.
Vehicle thefts in the Illawarra dropped by 18.6 per cent from April 2018 to March 2023, an average decline of 5 per cent each year. This bucks the statewide trend, where vehicle thefts hit a six-year peak in March 2023, increasing 21.3 per cent over two years.
However, sexual assault reports in the region increased by 50 per cent over the same five-year period, with 318 reported in the year to March 2023. The average annual increase over the past two years was nearly 36 per cent, compared to a statewide average of 6.8 per cent per year.
Non-domestic violence-related assaults also rose, with an average yearly increase of 14.3 per cent since 2021, totaling 1,058 in the 12 months to March 2023. Thefts from retail stores jumped by an average of almost 32 per cent annually over the past two years.
Other crimes, including robberies, break-ins, malicious property damage, and stealing offences, have all declined over the past five years. Robberies saw the most significant drop, falling by an average of 11.5 per cent each year.
