Big drop in Counties Manukau burglaries between 1999 and 2003

Recorded burglary offences across most of the Counties Manukau police district have fallen dramatically since the Labour-led government took office in late 1999.

Police Minister George Hawkins says four years of initiatives from the Labour-led Government, including more police and increased resources, were responsible for the big drop in burglary numbers in the area.

Mr Hawkins said the efforts of local police, especially their focus on targeting known offenders, as well as increased community c-operation, were also behind the good results.

"Burglary is an offence that particularly concerns the public, because it brings crime literally to the doorstep. These figures show police are successfully targeting burglary and deserve our thanks and appreciation," Mr Hawkins said.

Comparisons per calendar year show in 1999 in Mr Hawkins Manurewa electorate 2247 burglaries were recorded, compared with 1621 last year, a 27.8 percent decrease.

"Mangere registered the biggest fall of all areas within the Counties Manukau Policing District, with 1194 burglaries in 1999 and 812 in 2003, a massive 32 percent difference, " Mr Hawkins said.

In Papakura, 2003 burglaries numbered 1310, compared with 1521 in 1999, a 13.9 percent drop. Otara burglaries numbers were less pleasing, totalling 968 last year from 784 in 1999.

In Howick, burglary numbers fell 26.7 percent, from 1458 offences in 1999 compared with 1068 in 2003.

New Zealand burglaries peaked in 1992 with 96,322 recorded offences and averaged 83,521 annually during the nine years of National’s last tenure. Currently, around 60,000 burglaries were recorded annually.

© Scoop Media

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