Fraud is on the rise in Moree, while all other crime rates continue their downward trend, according to the latest breakdown of crime statistics in the shire.
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The latest quarterly crime figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) revealed rates of fraud had risen by more than 45 per cent in Moree since 2017.
In the 12 months to March 2019, there were 131 reported fraud cases in the Moree Plains Local Government Area, up from 90 the previous year.
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Positively, fraud was the only crime, of the 17 major crime categories, which has recorded an increase over the past two years.
Robberies with a firearm and those with a weapon recorded the biggest drop in the past 12 months, both plummeting 100 per cent, from two and 12 incidents, respectively, to zero.
The number of reported indecent assaults also reduced significantly, dropping more than 57 per cent, down from 33 to 14 incidents, in the 12 months to March, while sexual assaults fell from 35 to 20 (down 43 per cent).
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Break-ins and stealings continue to decline. Stealing from homes and people is down 36 and 35 per cent respectively, while break and enters to businesses dropped 40 per cent (down from 200 to 119 incidents) and motor vehicle theft dropped 39 per cent (from 124 to 75 incidents) over the past year.
Home and business break-ins, motor vehicle theft and stealing from a dwelling have each fallen by at least 36 per cent over the past two years.
Despite these drops however, Moree still has some of the highest crime rates in the state for most categories - business break-ins are nearly seven times the state average, while malicious damage to property is more than five times and home break-ins are close to five times the NSW rate.