BOCSAR stats skewed by pet crimes, but livestock thefts are still up

But even factoring in a data-skewing jump in domestic pet crimes - the theft of traditional livestock rose across the board in 2016, with cattle and sheep again the most represented in police records.

Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research figures this week said there was a 35 per cent increase in stock theft last year - from 501 to 677 incidents - at odds with police and government claims crime levels were at a record low.

But these figures don’t necessarily mean duffing is rising at that rate – as, since 2015, ‘stock theft’ has combined two police incident categories: ‘steal stock (animal)’ and ‘steal domestic animal or bird’.

A BOCSAR spokeswoman said domestic pet theft incidents in 2016 - which increased more than seven-fold to 161 - therefore masked patterns of livestock incidents, which rose less dramatically, from 479 to 516.

However, a further BOCSAR breakdown showed theft of traditional livestock (sheep, cattle, lamb, goats, horses, poultry, and pigs) went up nonetheless - just not as markedly as dogs and birds. Livestock-related incidents accounted for the bulk of incidents with sheep (163 incidents, up 7.2pc) and cattle (136 incidents, up 20.4pc) the most represented animals.

Next most common were dogs and birds, with a 131.6pc increase in dog thefts to 88 incidents, and a 190pc increase in bird thefts to 29 incidents.

Thefts involving horses, goats, lamb, and poultry were next, each rising by varying amounts.

NSW Farmers rural affairs committee chair Sonia O’Keefe said members across the state had reported a large increase in rural crime over the past 18 months.

She reiterated the Association’s push for mandatory minimum fines for trespass of $5500, and the confiscation of equipment and animals used in the crime.

“We want police to have the power to confiscate and impound any assets believed to be used in stock theft or illegal hunting.”

For greater clarity on stock theft, BOCSAR said the June 2017 release will move ‘steal domestic animal or bird’ into ‘Other Theft’ and apply the classification to previous data.

Government is considering the operational and legislative recommendations of the Bradshaw Review into rural crime. A response will be finalised following the appointment of a new Regional Deputy Commissioner.