In response to escalating burglary rates in the Australian Capital Territory, the Australian Federal Police has, over recent years, introduced a series of crime reduction strategies in Canberra. These operations have been effective in achieving a short-term reduction in burglary rates, but the number of burglaries has risen again after the cessation of the operation (though not to pre-operation rates). The latest strategy - Operation Anchorage (which ran from February 2001 until the end of June 2001) - included special burglary-reduction teams, surveillance, police stops and random breath tests in high burglary areas. Following Operation Anchorage, the number of burglaries in Canberra declined from 169 per week to 92 per week. "Policing Urban Burglary", a report of the operation recently released by the Australian Institute of Criminology, shows that Operation Anchorage was successful in reducing burglary rates, but highlights the importance of enduring crime prevention rather than reduction-only strategies.
Number of burglaries per week, 1999-2001 [see attached PDF for graph]
Source
- Ratcliffe, J. 2001, "Policing Urban Burglary", Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 213, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra.