Member for Ku-ring-gai, Alister Henskens SC, has commended police in the Ku-ring-gai Local Area Command for their exceptional work in fighting local crime.

Mr Henskens said that the most recent quarterly data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) is a testament to the proactive work of local police in detecting and preventing crime.

In the 24 months to September 2016, only one of the 17 major offence categories showed a significant upward trend across NSW, while eight categories showed downward trends.

Mr Henskens said local statistics from the Ku-ring-gai electorate followed the state-wide trends, with 13 offences remaining stable or trending down.

“Locally, it is very reassuring to see significant downward trends in the following major crime categories:

• Steal from dwelling is down 31.5% (Ku-ring-gai Council LGA)
• Malicious damage to property is down 17.4% (Ku-ring-gai Council LGA)
• Break and enter dwelling is down 27.7% (Council of the Shire of Hornsby LGA)
• Steal from motor vehicle is down 27.9% (Council of the Shire of Hornsby LGA)
• Steal from retail store is down 19.3% (Council of the Shire of Hornsby LGA)
• Steal from dwelling is down 8.5% (Council of the Shire of Hornsby LGA)
• Malicious damage to property is down 13.6% (Council of the Shire of Hornsby LGA)

“This latest data from BOCSAR reflects the commitment and dedication of our local police to keeping our community safe,” Mr Henskens said.

“I would like to thank the Ku-ring-gai community for doing their bit by reporting crime, working closely with our local police officers, and remaining vigilant,” Mr Henskens said.

Despite the positive picture in Ku-ring-gai and the very encouraging trends that are evident in the quarterly update, state-wide steal from a retail store has now trended upwards for five successive quarters, while fraud has risen across seven regional areas, capturing crimes such as fraudulent use of credit cards and failing to pay for fuel at service stations. 

 “The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government is determined to turn these statistics around, and will ensure police across the state have the resources they need to investigate and prosecute these crimes.

“The upcoming introduction of Regional and Metropolitan Deputy Commissioners as part of the NSW Government’s reforms to the NSW Police Force will ensure high-quality, targeted policing to reduce local crime trends.”