More Kiwis are feeling unsafe because of crime, new data from the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) shows.
The findings were part of the New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey, which interviewed more than 7100 New Zealanders between November 2022 and October 2023. The survey aimed to find "fresh insights into the nature of both reported and unreported crime in our country".
According to the survey, 32% of people experienced crime over the 12 months, with around 1.88 million incidents.
MOJ general manager sector insights Rebecca Parish said this number has stayed "relatively stable" since the first survey in 2018. The previous survey found 31% of Kiwis had experienced crime.
The number of people feeling unsafe because of crime had seen an increase from 9.3% in 2018 to 15.1% in 2024 – particularly for those 30 and older, Asian adults, and people living in Auckland and Waikato.
Those feeling completely safe dropped to 23.8%, compared to 29.7% in 2018.
'Major increase' in fraud, vehicle theft
Parish said there had been a "major increase" in fraud and vehicle theft victims.
"Last year, we reported a major increase in the rate of people victimised by fraud. This trend continued in 2023, with 10% of New Zealanders experiencing fraud in the last 12 months," Parish said. "This makes it the most common offence in New Zealand."
The most common type of fraud was unauthorised bank transactions, which accounted for 66% of the total, followed by online scam purchases, which accounted for 20%.
"The increase is a worldwide trend and is likely related to people carrying out more financial activity online, especially online shopping," Parish said.
Vehicle theft increased by 47% from around 41,000 households in 2022 to around 60,000 in 2023.
Parish said this again "mirrors a global trend".
"The survey showed that most vehicles were stolen from the street or driveways. They were less likely to be stolen if parked in a garage, carport, or public car park."
The survey found 185,000 New Zealanders were victims of violent crime in 2023 – which included physical and sexual assault and robbery.
The number of people reporting crime to police has "remained steady" since 2018, with 28% of all crimes reported.
"However, in contrast to the number of victims, last year we observed a higher proportion of household incidents – burglary, theft, and vehicle theft – reported to police," Parish said.
People believing a crime was too trivial was the most common reason for not reporting it, at around 38%.
The most reported crimes were vehicle offences at 58%, interpersonal violence at 40%, and burglary at 43%. Fraud and cybercrime were the least reported at 11%.
Results 'shameful' – Justice Minister
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith called the results "shameful," highlighting the need for a justice overhaul.
"This is unacceptable. That's why this Government backs the police to do their job more effectively and will ensure there are serious consequences for crime."
Yesterday, the Government announced several sentencing law reforms, including capping sentence discounts at 40% and preventing repeat discounts for youth or remorse.
The reforms also included a new aggravating factor for offences against sole charge workers and those whose home and business were connected; encouraging the use of cumulative sentencing for offences committed while on bail in custody or on parole; implementing a sliding scale for early guilty pleas; and amending the principles of sentencing.
The Government also set a target for 20,000 fewer victims of violent crime by 2029 and a youth offending drop of 15%
"This Government will not sit by and let these figures get worse. We're taking action and will ensure all Kiwis feel safe in their communities."
Police Commissioner on findings
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster welcomed the findings and said: "Preventing crime and harm in our communities and responding to emergencies will always be our priority."
The survey showed 67% of people trusted the police, and 83% found police had dealt with them professionally.
"That is a tribute to how our staff go about their roles every day, working closely with communities to keep them safe," he said.
"Our staff around the country continue to respond to the criminal behaviour while also stepping up our reassurance and visibility to those communities most affected."
He was "pleased" to hear more people were reporting crimes like interpersonal violence as police had "invested heavily over the last few years to make reporting easier".
Speaking about the number of Kiwis fearful of crime, Coster said this number was likely driven by high-profile instances of youth crime and gang intimidation – which police were working to address.
"As we have seen, these types of crime attract a lot of public attention. "It's pleasing to note that ram raids have started to trend down but, as we apply enforcement pressure on their offending, offenders continue to adapt and change their tactics. Since last year we have seen more aggravated robberies on petrol stations and other stores.
"Our staff around the country continue to respond to the criminal behaviour, while also stepping up our reassurance and visibility to those communities most affected."
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