NCJ Number
225961
Date Published
March 2008
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This report examines the recorded incidence of stealing from a motor vehicle in New South Wales (NSW).
Abstract
Results indicate that in the 12 months to September 2007, NSW Police recorded 58,560 incidents of stealing from a motor vehicle. The prevalence of this offense is on the increase. The average value of items stolen in each incident of stealing from a motor vehicle is about $600; direct cost of all recorded incidents of stealing from motor vehicles in the 12 months leading up to September 2007, is estimated to be in excess of $35 million. The victims of this crime also face the inconvenience and expense of repairing victimized vehicles. Most incidents of stealing from motor vehicles involved cars parked in public streets; however, the increase has been largely confined to car parks. An analysis of victimization in individual car parks found that a large number of incidents were concentrated in a small number of car parks. In Inner Sydney, 10 car parks accounted for 6 percent of all incidents (569 incidents). These 10 car parks accounted for 27 percent of the increase in Inner Sydney and 12 percent of the statewide increase. In Central Western Sydney, 7 percent of all stealing from motor vehicle incidents (256 incidents) occurred in a single car park. This car park was responsible for 30 percent of the increase in Central Western Sydney and 8 percent of the statewide increase. Tables and appendixes