Property crime has fallen dramatically in the Hunter Region over the past 20 years, but police have warned against complacency - especially during the holiday season.
Break and enter offences involving theft have fallen by 68 per cent over the past 20 years in the Hunter.
The huge decline in property crime is mirrored across the country and other parts of the world.
Newcastle City Police District said its officers target recidivist offenders and those on the Suspect Targeting Management Plan.
This plan aims to reduce crime by targeting high-risk offenders.
This was being done with help from the "traffic and highway patrol command and the proactive crime team".
"These proactive patrols by officers targeting property crime and break and enters have directly resulted in multiple arrests," a police statement said.
"While police continue to target these offenders, everyone can play a role in crime prevention, especially this time of year when many people are on holidays and away from home."
Despite the decline, 37 break and enter offences still occur every week in the Hunter, NSW crime statistics show.
In the past year, Muswellbrook had the highest rate of break and enters per 100,000 people in the region, with Newcastle following closely behind. Both areas had rates about 130 per cent higher than NSW.
Newcastle (854) had the second highest number of break and enter offences in NSW over the past year, behind Blacktown (880).
Motor vehicle theft has fallen by almost 50 per cent over the 20-year period. In the past year, 1597 vehicles were stolen in the Hunter.
The highest rate of motor vehicle theft in the region over the past year was in Cessnock. This rate was 183 per cent greater than NSW.
Offences for stealing from a motor vehicle have fallen in the Hunter by 36 per cent over 20 years to 3753.
Newcastle had the highest rate for this offence, almost three times the NSW figure.
The police statement said break-ins are "typically an opportunistic crime and criminals will target homes with poor security".
The police recommend taking precautions such as:
- Let a trusted neighbour or family friend know of your whereabouts and contact details. Ask them to watch your home, empty your mailbox, mow your lawn and, most importantly, call Triple Zero (000) if they notice anything suspicious, or if a smoke alarm is activated.
- Dispose of goods packaging carefully. Don't advertise new valuables to would-be thieves.
- Lock away your handyman/gardening tools, which may be used to force open doors or windows, and any item that may be used to gain access to the property or cause damage.
- Avoid posting information about being away on holidays because thieves will often use this information to target properties. Be sure your home and contents insurance is adequate and up to date.
- Check your doors, windows and garage are locked securely, and remove spare keys from hiding places.
- If you have a home security alarm, activate it.
Offenders traditionally broke into homes to look for cash, jewellery, mobile phones, wallets, laptops and cameras.
But a University of Western Australia study, published in May, said the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program asked arrested offenders about their stealing behaviour over 15 years.
"Survey findings point to offenders having shifted away from stealing increasingly devalued electronic consumer goods for resale purposes, and toward stealing increasingly expensive food and clothing for personal consumption," the study said.
The study also noted the rise of "second-hand online markets in contemporary cyberspace" such as Facebook Marketplace.
Anonymous profiles can be created easily in these markets, which have a "lack of regulation" and are increasingly being used to "dispose of stolen goods".
Another University of Western Australia study, released in November, found "a high volume of stolen goods are perceived to be advertised in second-hand online markets".
"There is a willingness among a substantial minority of users to receive stolen goods online.
"Several studies have shown that increasing the difficulty of disposing of particular stolen goods in legitimate offline markets leads to significant decreases in theft rates of those goods locally."
Australian Institute of Criminology research has previously attributed improved security and policing as factors in the fall in property crime. Other causes of the phenomenon are thought to be higher income levels, higher prison rates and a more alert community.
Changes in drug use such as reduced heroin use and the collapse of traditional markets for stolen goods were suggested as factors in the decline.
Advances have been made using building design to deter crime, while better lighting and increased perception of homes being active can help.
Research shows the most common time for residential break and enters to occur is on weekday mornings, when people aren't home.
The most common points of entry are front and back doors and windows on the ground floor.
Effective ways to prevent break and enters are gates, fences, window and door locks, security screens, alarms and alert neighbours.
Damon Cronshaw
Science, health and medicine, academic research, conservation, nutrition, animal welfare, technology, sport. Topics column writer.
Science, health and medicine, academic research, conservation, nutrition, animal welfare, technology, sport. Topics column writer.
