Press columnist Peter Luke highlighted some depressing statistics on burglaries this week (not online).
Although the upper North Island continues to be New Zealand’s burglary capital, there were 7033 burglaries reported in Canterbury (population about 450, 000) last year with only 15.6 percent burglars being caught. In central Auckland the burglary rate is about 130 burglaries per 10, 000 residents.
Perhaps the most worrying statistic is the low number of burglars being apprehended, which although higher than in the late 90s, is stubbornly stuck at below 20 percent.
One of the reasons why New Zealand had a low property crime rate in the past was because it was a small, mono-cultural and well-organised country in which it was difficult for criminals to avoid being caught. Now that burglars are increasingly aware they have an excellent chance of getting away with burglaries, they may be more inclined to commit them.
The use of burglar alarms and private security firms seems to be helping check burglaries in affluent areas, but there is little (other than dangerous dogs) to deter burglars in low to mid-income areas, with students in particular, being frequent victims of break-ins.
New Zealand, like Britain, also has a relatively low rate of gun ownership. By constrast, burglary rates in the pro-gun United States are comparitively low, and significantly fewer burglars attempt to break in houses when they are occupied.
