Police keep crime in check in Tasman

Total recorded crime in Tasman Police District has remained static in the last fiscal year.

Tasman Police District includes Nelson Bays, Marlborough and the West Coast.

Crime in the July 2011 to June 2012 year compared with the June 2010/July2011 year has risen 1.5 percent.

About a quarter of all recorded crime for the district involves theft and related offending.

Tasman District has in recent years had very good crime resolution rates and this year the rates in all three areas have improved, with Marlborough again leading the way with a 64 percent resolution rate.

There has been a 605.1 percent jump in the number of offences related to dealing and trafficking illicit drugs. The district also recorded greater than 99 percent resolution for this offending.

Tasman District Commander Superintendent Richard Chambers said those figures showed the successful proactive work Police in Tasman had done in targeting drug dealers.

Tasman recorded a 54.2 percent increase in sexual assaults and related offences in the same period, with Marlborough recording 65.6 percent increase and Nelson Bays recording 54.5 percent increase. The West Coast was up 35 percent.

Superintendent Chambers said the increase in the figures for sexual offending were attributed to a small group of serious offenders apprehended throughout the district and put before the Court for multiple offences.  They include Nelson man William Mortensen who last week received a preventive detention sentence in Nelson District Court for multiple serious offences. There are two other men currently being dealt with by Marlborough District Court.

"Those individuals were prolific offenders but they have been brought to justice thanks to the painstaking work of our investigation teams."

Superintendent Chambers said the increase in sex offences for the year did not represent a corresponding increase in the number of victims.

In Marlborough robbery, extortion and related offences was down  47.4 percent while theft and related offences was down 6.6 percent.

In Nelson Bays robbery, extortion and related offences was down 50 percent, while public order offences also continue the downward trend.

On the West Coast drug offending was down more than 26 percent.

Superintendent Chambers said, overall he was confident Police in all three areas were working hard to prevent crime and victimisation and this was reflected in the results.