Crime rates in South Australia have continued a downward trajectory, according to the latest statistics, which indicate a 5 per cent decrease in total offences for the year ending in February. This marks the sixth consecutive year-on-year reduction, following decreases of 3 per cent in both December 2024 and January 2025 periods.
The data for the rolling year highlighted a notable 7 per cent drop in house break-ins, the eighth consecutive decrease in this category. Robbery and related offences saw an even bigger fall, with a 15 per cent drop following an earlier 20 per cent decline in January.
This recent progress follows the successful deployment of Operation Sentinel by the South Australian Police (SAPOL). This targeted effort to address repeat offenders responsible for robberies and other serious crimes across the city led to significant arrests. Seven individuals were charged with severe offences, including aggravated robbery and assault, with all of them being denied bail.
Ongoing initiatives such as Operation Measure, which focused on combating shoplifting, have also contributed to the fall in crime rates. This initiative recently expanded, adding eight more officers to its team, which coincided with an 8 per cent reduction in shop theft during the February period. Additionally, car theft dropped by 11 per cent, and theft from vehicles decreased by a substantial 22 per cent.
Particularly dramatic was the plunge in homicide rates, which fell by 64 per cent in the February period, from 25 reported incidents to just nine.
Stephen Mullighan MP Treasurer Minister for Police, shared “It’s pleasing to see robbery and related offences are continuing to decrease, as SAPOL expands its resources in key areas on the back of significant State Government investment.
“$82 million dollars has been allocated to hire an additional 189 Police Security Officers, to return sworn officers to frontline duties.
“This has resulted in the expansion of key operations and the creation of a new Youth and Street Gangs Taskforce, to crackdown on repeat offenders.”
Acting Assistant Commissioner (Metropolitan Service) John de Candia also shared, “The results reflect the proactive work being done by frontline officers across all of our policing districts.
“Identifying the recidivist offenders responsible for a significant number of these offences and then targeting them with specific operations to uncover the depth of their offending, gathering the necessary evidence and then charging them accordingly is paying dividends.
“In a number of these matters the courts have recognised their serious level of offending and they have been refused bail which contributes to a reduction in further offending.”
The collective efforts of SAPOL are reflected in the significant decreases in various categories of crime across South Australia. This ongoing success in crime reduction is demonstrative of effective law enforcement strategies and targeted policing measures that address both immediate and recurrent criminal activities.
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