4510.0 - Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia, 2005  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/05/2006   
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MEDIA RELEASE

May 25, 2006
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
45/2006

Unlawful entry with intent, motor vehicle and other theft continue to fall

Recorded victims of unlawful entry with intent*, motor vehicle and other theft in Australia
continued to fall and were at their lowest level, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Comparing 2005 with 2004, the following victimisation rate decreases were recorded:
  • Motor vehicle theft decreased by 9% to 397 victims per 100,000 people.
  • Unlawful entry with intent decreased by 9% to 1,398 victims per 100,000 people.
  • Other theft (which includes theft from people, retail premises and motor vehicles) decreased by 7% to 2,554 victims per 100,000 people.


Other findings for 2005 include:
  • Although no change was recorded from 2004, homicide and related offences were at their lowest level in 2005 with 4 victims per 100,000 people.
  • Kidnapping/abduction decreased by 5% to 4 victims per 100,000 people.
  • A knife was the most common type of weapon used and was involved in nearly one-third of murders (30%) and attempted murders (29%) and one-fifth (19%) of robberies.
  • A firearm was involved in 18% of attempted murders, 10% of murders and 5% of robberies. These figures continue to fall and are the lowest on record for these offences.
  • Over one half of motor vehicle thefts occurred in a community location (53%) and over one-quarter occurred in a residential location (28%).
  • People aged 15 - 19 years were more than three times more likely to be victims of robbery than the general population.


Media Note: The publication presents national crime statistics relating to victims of a selected range of offences that have been recorded by police.

* Includes break and enter; break, enter & steal; burglary; unlawful entry to structure with intent; ram raiding and smash and grab.

More details are available in Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia, 2005 (cat. no. 4510.0).