Burglaries increasing

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32873, 23 March 1972, Page 1

Burglaries increasing

Burglaries in Christchurch in the first two months of this year increased by more than 100 compared with the same period last year. The head of the C. 1.8. in Christchurch, Detective Chief Inspector B. Wilkinson, said on Tuesday that he was very concerned about the increase, especially because burglaries in Christchurch last year also showed a big increase on those in 1970. In 1971 there were 2743 burglary offences committed in Christchurch, compared with 2374 in 1970. However, there was a 9 per cent increase in the detection of these burglaries last year over the detection rate in 1970. In the first two months of this year 487 burglaries were reported to the police in

. Christchurch, compared with , 381 last year. Mr Wilkinson said these ’ figures were very disap--1 pointing because last year ! the police went to a lot of trouble to make people more security conscious. A crime i prevention week, which in- > eluded a number of sem- , inars, was held, and extra i patrols were instituted. > Mr Wilkinson said that > although there were 2743 i burglaries last year only 140 ; attempts to commit burglaries were reported to the I police. “If the public had been • more security conscious then of course there should i be more attempts than

actual burglaries,” he said. Mr Wilkinson said that the solution to the problem was up to the public. By taking

more steps to guard against burglaries they were also taking steps to protect their own property. The proportion of house burglaries to those burglaries

of other premises has remained relatively the same over the last two years.

In 1970, 971 houses were burgled compared with 1321 burglaries on other premises.

Last year 986 houses and 1597 other premises were burgled. The figures for the first two months this year are 186 houses and 269 others.