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http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydneys-wild-west-gun-crime-warning/story-e6freuy9-1226215074321
THE head of the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has warned that innocent bystanders could be wounded or killed by stray bullets if gun crime is not contained in Sydney's wild west.
BOCSAR director Dr Don Weatherburn said he was concerned about increases in shootings, amphetamine use and stock theft.
The warning came as a man and his teenage son escaped injury after shots were fired into a house in Sydney's southwest overnight.
Dr Weatherburn said the jump in drive-by shootings from 73 to 88 was largely contained to four police divisions, including Canterbury Bankstown, Fairfield and Liverpool.
"Over the last 12-months we've seen a 20 per cent increase in the number of cases where there's been a discharge of a firearm into a premises," Dr Weatherburn said.
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"These rates of offending tend to be higher in western Sydney and south-west Sydney than they do in other parts of the state.
"Clearly the most worrying of these trends is the drive-by shootings. It's a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or murdered as a result of one of these things.''
While crime across the state has dropped in most categories, Dr Weatherburn singled out massive increases in amphetamine use (up 35.8 per cent) and cannabis dealing (up 13.2).
"There's no question that the use of amphetamines is going up quite rapidly. It levelled off for a little while but over the last five to ten years we've seen substantial increases in it," he said.
"What's driving it is the sheer demand. As more people use it, more people get familiar with the drug so it has this contagious effect.''
Stock theft in regional areas was also up by 31.7 per cent, while petrol and number plate thefts from cars increased on the back of average petrol prices, which rose by 11.5 per cent in a 12-month period.
Penrith registered significant drops in major crime categories, while Lake Macquarie saw upward trends in three categories.
The September quarterly report showed that assaults (13.4 per cent down), robbery (50 per cent down), car theft (20.6 per cent down) and break and enters (29.1 per cent down) were significantly down in Penrith.
Commissioner Andrew Scipione said the stats showed that all 17 major crime categories were stable or falling.
Mr Scipione said assaults, robberies, break and enters and malicious damage to property were all down.
Assaults in licensed premises are down 6.3 per cent. Assaults in clubs dropped by 18.2 per cent.
"I find this downward trend very encouraging and we will continue to target alcohol fuelled violence," Mr Scipione said.
Mr Scipione said increases in drug categories should be attributed to police targeting drug dealers and traffickers.
"This sends a very clear message to those who break the law. You will be arrested and bought before the courts," he said.
Across a two-year period, abduction and kidnapping increased by 31.2 per cent.
Dr Weatherburn said the spike was directly related to 'unusually low figures' from the previous year.
Do you think Des made a diffrence???
THE head of the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has warned that innocent bystanders could be wounded or killed by stray bullets if gun crime is not contained in Sydney's wild west.
BOCSAR director Dr Don Weatherburn said he was concerned about increases in shootings, amphetamine use and stock theft.
The warning came as a man and his teenage son escaped injury after shots were fired into a house in Sydney's southwest overnight.
Dr Weatherburn said the jump in drive-by shootings from 73 to 88 was largely contained to four police divisions, including Canterbury Bankstown, Fairfield and Liverpool.
"Over the last 12-months we've seen a 20 per cent increase in the number of cases where there's been a discharge of a firearm into a premises," Dr Weatherburn said.
Related Coverage
Bikie disputes behind drive-by shootings The Daily Telegraph, 6 Nov 2011
Botched hit began gang war in west The Daily Telegraph, 6 Nov 2011
Drive-by shootings on the rise The Daily Telegraph, 4 Nov 2011
Shots fired at Sydney shops The Daily Telegraph, 28 Oct 2011
Home sprayed with bullets in drive-by shooting The Daily Telegraph, 1 Oct 2011
"These rates of offending tend to be higher in western Sydney and south-west Sydney than they do in other parts of the state.
"Clearly the most worrying of these trends is the drive-by shootings. It's a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or murdered as a result of one of these things.''
While crime across the state has dropped in most categories, Dr Weatherburn singled out massive increases in amphetamine use (up 35.8 per cent) and cannabis dealing (up 13.2).
"There's no question that the use of amphetamines is going up quite rapidly. It levelled off for a little while but over the last five to ten years we've seen substantial increases in it," he said.
"What's driving it is the sheer demand. As more people use it, more people get familiar with the drug so it has this contagious effect.''
Stock theft in regional areas was also up by 31.7 per cent, while petrol and number plate thefts from cars increased on the back of average petrol prices, which rose by 11.5 per cent in a 12-month period.
Penrith registered significant drops in major crime categories, while Lake Macquarie saw upward trends in three categories.
The September quarterly report showed that assaults (13.4 per cent down), robbery (50 per cent down), car theft (20.6 per cent down) and break and enters (29.1 per cent down) were significantly down in Penrith.
Commissioner Andrew Scipione said the stats showed that all 17 major crime categories were stable or falling.
Mr Scipione said assaults, robberies, break and enters and malicious damage to property were all down.
Assaults in licensed premises are down 6.3 per cent. Assaults in clubs dropped by 18.2 per cent.
"I find this downward trend very encouraging and we will continue to target alcohol fuelled violence," Mr Scipione said.
Mr Scipione said increases in drug categories should be attributed to police targeting drug dealers and traffickers.
"This sends a very clear message to those who break the law. You will be arrested and bought before the courts," he said.
Across a two-year period, abduction and kidnapping increased by 31.2 per cent.
Dr Weatherburn said the spike was directly related to 'unusually low figures' from the previous year.
Do you think Des made a diffrence???