Crime statistics released today show Tasman Police District is one of the top performing districts in the country with a drop in recorded crime of 8.2 percent for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.
Nationally recorded crime is down 5.8 percent for the same period.
There were 16,637 offences reported across the district, which includes Marlborough, Nelson Bays and the West Coast. Nelson Bays recorded the largest crime reduction of the district's three areas, with 10 percent.
Tasman District Commander Superintendent Gary Knowles said recorded crime was at its lowest in the district since the 2006-2007 fiscal year.
"The results reflect the preventative work being done. We've targeted high risk areas and prevented crime occurring.
"Despite some high profile incidents, serious assaults and public place assaults are also trending down which is very pleasing to see," Superintendent Knowles said.
He said police had also put a lot of effort into preventing family violence, which has reduced slightly by 0.5 percent contrasting against an 18.4 increase the previous year.
Theft, which is the largest volume crime in the district, was down 12.4 percent, with motor vehicle theft and related offences down 17.8 percent.
Drug related offences were also down 9.2 percent while the resolution rate for drug offences remained high at 89 percent.
Damage to property was down 9.4 percent and there were fewer breaches of community-based orders and custodial orders.
The two offence types to record an increase were robbery, extortion and related offences, and public order offences.
Robbery, extortion and related offences rose from 48 to 59 offences, an increase of 22.9 percent, while public order offences increased by 4.7 percent.
end