Crime figures show thefts from vehicle up in Maitland

New Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data shows that thefts from motor vehicles in the Maitland council area jumped by about 18 per cent in the 2015/16 financial year, compared with the previous 12 months.

Cases of thefts from vehicles also went up elsewhere in the Hunter, according to the BOCSAR figures.

Instances of the crime jumped by 22 per cent in Newcastle between the 2014/15 financial year and 2015/16, while there was a 10 per cent increase in the Cessnock council area.

Central Hunter crime manager Detective Inspector Mitch Dubojski said thefts from motor vehicles were preventable incidents that used police resources, which could be better directed elsewhere.

He said people should take the simple measures of locking their vehicles and removing all valuable items, such as mobile phones, computers and wallets, before leaving them unattended.

“All crime is a concern,” Inspector Dubojski said.

“People are not locking their cars. Steal from motor vehicles outweighs the whole lot [of crime categories in Maitland] in the last six to 12 months.

“It puts pressure on resources needlessly. There is most definitely an impact.”

In other crime categories in the BOCSAR figures, cases of break and enter of homes grew by 45 per cent in the two years to June, 2016.

Meanwhile, break and enters at non-dwellings – for example, business premises – increased by nine per cent.

Thefts from homes jumped by 21 per cent in the same period, according to the data.

The BOCSAR data showed that 15 of 17 crime categories were classified as either stable or falling, statewide, while fraud and thefts from retail outlets had risen.