DRUGS DRIVE CRIME

People on drugs and the need to feed their habits are partly behind a
massive rise in methamphetamine crimes and burglaries in Northland
last year.

A huge increase in methamphetamine and amphetamine-related crimes in
Northland in 2005 coincided with a significant rise in burglaries and
police say the two are linked.

Northland police boss Superintendent Viv Rickard said drugs were the
driving force behind some "major crime areas" in Northland, including
burglary.

That is borne out in official police crime figures for Northland in
2005, released yesterday. They show a 160 percent increase in
methamphetamine and amphetamine-type offences last year and a 10% rise
in burglaries.

Methamphetamine, or P, and amphetamine offences increased from 103 in
2004 to 268 last year, while burglary numbers rose from 473 to 504
last year.

Total crime rose by 2.4 percent in Northland in 2005, police solving
48.7 percent of the 15,443 offences reported, compared with 48.5
percent of 15,080 reported crimes in 2004. The region's crime figures
for 2005 mirrored national trends, Mr Rickard said.

Only one-in-five, or 20.1 percent, of the 504 burglaries reported had
been solved - down from a 20.8 percent on the previous year. Mr
Rickard said the resolution rate was not as high as hoped and police
would provide a "better focus" around burglary.

The most significant rise in burglaries was in the Far North, where a
19.9 percent rise was noted over 2004. Most burglaries were committed
by young Maori males aged 15 to 22, while organised burglary crews had
added to the rise, Mr Rickard said.

Police had solved 94 percent of the "new drugs", or methamphetamine
and amphetamine-type offences, last year. Mr Rickard said police had
focused attention on drugs and alcohol, two major operations late last
year having a "significant impact" on the making and supply of drugs
in Northland, particularly methamphetamine. A pro-active approach had
also been taken in reducing alcohol-related crime, with a focus on
enforcing alcohol bans. "This is reflected in the police detection of
109 extra offences in the alcohol area," Mr Rickard said.

Street-based crime was being blamed for an 8.4 percent rise in violent
offences in Northland, with 157 more intimidation and threat-type
crimes. There had also been a substantial rise in domestic violence,
from 560 offences in 2004 to about 860 last year, but he believed that
number represented only about 10 percent of the real figures.

Last year 108 sexual attacks were reported, up 16 from the previous
year. "What we are possibly noting is an increased confidence to
report sexual-related matters," Mr Rickard said.

Dishonesty had increased by 4.4 percent. "Of worry to me is the
significant increase in the theft of cars within Northland, with 205
more offences recorded. In a region that relies on tourism, this
increase is a concern," he said.

There was also an increase in robberies - 91 last year compared with
80 the previous year.

A total of 2158 violent crimes were committed in 2005, up from 1990
the previous year. Of last year's figure, 80.2 percent were solved
compared to 77.3 percent in 2004. There had been a slight decline in
the number of serious assaults, from 833 to 821 last year with police
solving 81.1 percent of last year's serious assaults.

Cannabis offences dropped from 1003 in 2004 to 956 last year and there
was a higher resolution rate also, up from 81.6 percent in 2004 to
92.6 percent last year.

Inspector Paul Dimery, Area Commander for Whangarei/Kaipara, was happy
with the slight reduction in crime and the 47.6 percent resolution
rate. Far North Area Commander, Inspector Mike Rusbatch, was
disappointed total crime had increased by 8.4 percent and dishonesty
crime by 9.1 percent, "but pleased we have continued to resolve over
half of all offences."

Mr Rickard said police were on track to solve 50 percent of crime this
year but wanted better resolution rates in violence and dishonesty in
particular.