Sexual assaults, domestic violence fall in the Eurobodalla

Reported crime has fallen in the past 12 months, despite a rise in robberies and thefts, according to data released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.

The latest figures show the number of recorded incidents for major criminal offences in the Eurobodalla dropped from 1784, in the 12 months to March 2016, to 1618 in the following 12-month period.

Crime was down for 10 of the 17 major recorded offences, which included breaking and entering dwellings, stealing from motor vehicles and malicious damage to property.

Sexual assaults were down 57 per cent, from 42 reported cases in the 12 months to March 2016, to 18 the following year.

Domestic violence-related assaults dropped 14 per cent over the same 12-month period, from 173 reported cases to 148.

Non-domestic violence related assaults also dropped slightly, while indecent assaults and other sexual offences fell from 57 reported incidents to 41. 

However, motor vehicle thefts and stealing from a retail store were up 34 per cent and 19 per cent respectively.

Reported incidents of stealing from a person more than doubled, while breaking and entering of non-dwellings was also on the rise.

Despite the rise in incidents of stealing from a person, the Eurobodalla rate was less than half the NSW average.

Robberies without a weapon and robberies with a firearm also increased from 2016 – 2017.

Figures showed break and enters, robberies with a firearm and indecent assaults were more likely to occur in the Eurobodalla compared to the NSW average.

Non-domestic assaults, malicious damage to property and stealing from dwellings also ranked slightly above the average NSW rate, according to the report.