MORE CRIME BUT POLICE CLEARANCE RATE ABOVE AVERAGE

Clutha police made more prosecutions and cleared crime at levels well above
the national average, 2002-03 crime statistics released yesterday show.

The figures show police clamped down in several areas, especially in drug
enforcement, where they executed many more search warrants and made more
arrests.

District-wide, reported crime levels were up 41.6% on the previous year.
Police cleared 57.1% of these offences. The national clearance rate is 43.7%.

Overall, there was a 125% increase in cannabis offences during the period
from July 1, 2002 to June 30 this year. The number of thefts from vehicles
rose 165% while overall prose-cutions for offending were up 55%.

Achieving a clearance rate well above the national average was one of the
pleasing aspects to come out of the statistics, according to Clutha subarea
controller Senior Sergeant Alastair Dickie.

Owaka had a 100% rise in reported crime, while jumps of 60% and 50% were
recorded in Milton and Lawrence respectively.

A breakdown of the statistics for each town is:

Balclutha: 671 offences reported (450 in the previous year). Drug and
anti-social offences more than doubled, with 162 reported incidents
compared with 80 in the previous 12-month period. The rates of property
damage almost doubled - up to 102 from 66 the previous year.

Also up were incidents of sex offending, dishonesty, property damage and
property abuse.

Sen Sgt Dickie said greater proactivity in drug enforcement accounted for
the rises in that area.

"Dishonesty is an increasing trend and it's time people realised they
cannot afford to be complacent any more. They must not leave sheds, garages
and vehicles insecure."

Police were still finding vehicles with keys in the ignition and cars left
with attractive items clearly visible to "window shopping" offenders.

Also, items of value were not being secured at night around properties.

"So, until people start thinking smarter in this respect, this type of
offending is likely to continue and has been on the increase."

Milton: This town's level of reported crime rose by 60.6% (347 offences
compared with 216 in the 2001-02 year).

The biggest jump was in drug and anti-social offences, which nearly tripled
to 94 from last year's figure of 36.

The number of violence offences nearly doubled to 41, while there were two
sexual offences, the same as the previous year.

Dishonesty offences were up (134, compared with 94), while reports of
property damage and property abuse also rose.

Lawrence: Police dealt with a 50% rise in reported crime - 78 offences,
compared with 52 in the previous period.

Violent offending more than tripled, with 10 cases dealt with compared with
just three in 2001-02.

There were no reports of sex offences.

Other rises were reported in drugs and anti-social offending (22, up from
10) and dishonesty (28, up from 23).

Property damage was down slightly, while incidents of property abuse (nine)
were just over double last year's figure of four.

Clinton: Crime figures hardly moved - up just one at 91 offences.

Despite this, there was a slight increase in reported violent offending and
offences dealing with drugs and dishonesty.

There was also one reported case of sexual offending, compared with none in
the previous 12 months.

Incidents of property and property abuse were both down.

Sen Sgt Dickie said crime increases in both Lawrence and Clinton were not
of great concern.

"However, the communities can assist the police to reduce crime by securing
property and reporting suspicious activity to the police."

Owaka: Reported crime doubled in the Catlins area, with 132 offences
reported. Last year's figure was 66.

The rate of violent offending tripled in that time, while cases dealing
with drugs and anti-social offending totalled 17, compared with just six in
2001-02.

The number of reported dishonesty offences rose from 33 to 70.

Reports of property damage and property abuse were slightly up.

Sen Sgt Dickie said it was pleasing "from a public safety perspective" that
violence had remained at relatively low levels and even dropped off in some
parts of the district.

Traffic statistics reveal there was one fatal crash in the district in 2002-03.

Clutha police stopped 11,281 vehicles in that time and issued 3572
infringement or traffic offences notices.

Police prosecuted 75 drink-drivers.