THE arrest of a ``significant number'' of prolific offenders has helped to lower Northern crime rates, police inspectors have said. The latest Tasmania Police financial year-to-date figures, released this week, show that crime is down, or at least flat, across many categories. The comparison is between July 2013 to March 2014, and the previous reporting period. The biggest decreases in the Launceston police division included a 36 per cent drop in public place assaults, a 22 per cent decrease in home burglaries and a 38 per cent drop in stolen motor vehicles. However, property damage increased in the North from 614 to 694 offences. Detective Inspector Scott Flude, of Northern Criminal Investigation Branch, said the incarceration of a number of ``prolific volume'' offenders had affected crime statistics. ``It's been good; we are certainly very pleased with this,'' he said. ``I have not seen it like this for probably a couple of years. ``We have been pretty proactive with our investigations.'' Serious crime across the North remained steady, with 96 offences compared with 95 in the previous period. However, in Launceston there was a 10 per cent decrease in serious crime. Robbery was also flat, with 23 offences reported in the North in each period. There was an increase of one robbery offence in Launceston. Launceston Inspector Michael Johnston said crime had been trending down in Tasmania for many years. ``We have been successful at detecting offenders and currently a significant number of regular volume crime offenders are imprisoned,'' he said. ``The lower crime numbers do allow us to be able to respond to emerging trends if and when they occur, and bring resources to focus on any emergent issues.'' Email: ctang@examiner.com.au
THE arrest of a ``significant number'' of prolific offenders has helped to lower Northern crime rates, police inspectors have said.
The latest Tasmania Police financial year-to-date figures, released this week, show that crime is down, or at least flat, across many categories.
The comparison is between July 2013 to March 2014, and the previous reporting period.
The biggest decreases in the Launceston police division included a 36 per cent drop in public place assaults, a 22 per cent decrease in home burglaries and a 38 per cent drop in stolen motor vehicles.
However, property damage increased in the North from 614 to 694 offences.
Detective Inspector Scott Flude, of Northern Criminal Investigation Branch, said the incarceration of a number of ``prolific volume'' offenders had affected crime statistics.
``It's been good; we are certainly very pleased with this,'' he said.
``I have not seen it like this for probably a couple of years.
``We have been pretty proactive with our investigations.''
Serious crime across the North remained steady, with 96 offences compared with 95 in the previous period.
However, in Launceston there was a 10 per cent decrease in serious crime.
Robbery was also flat, with 23 offences reported in the North in each period.
There was an increase of one robbery offence in Launceston.
Launceston Inspector Michael Johnston said crime had been trending down in Tasmania for many years.
``We have been successful at detecting offenders and currently a significant number of regular volume crime offenders are imprisoned,'' he said.
``The lower crime numbers do allow us to be able to respond to emerging trends if and when they occur, and bring resources to focus on any emergent issues.''
