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Other theft (stealing) statistics

The ABS defines other theft (stealing) as the taking of another person's property with the intention of permanently depriving the owner of the property illegally and without permission, but without force, threat of force, use of coercive measures, deceit or having gained unlawful entry to any structure even if the intent was to commit theft.

This offence includes such crimes as pickpocketing, bag snatching, stealing, theft from a motor vehicle, theft of motor vehicle parts/accessories/petrol, stealing of stock/domestic animals, and theft of non-motorised vehicles/boats/aircraft/bicycles. It is the largest of all the crime categories included in the national statistics.

Trend in other theft

Other theft by month, 1995-2006 (number)

Source: Extracted from Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded crime data

  • During 2006 there was an average of 43,214 victims of theft per month, or almost one every minute.
  • Since 2001 the number of other thefts has been decreasing. The monthly number of other thefts peaked in January 2001, at 61,786. Between then and December 2006 the monthly number of thefts decreased by 32%.

Location of other theft

Other theft, type of location, 2006

a: Includes unspecified location (n=11,182)

Australian Bureau of Statistics 1997-2007. Recorded crime, victims, Australia (various years; title varies). ABS cat. no. 4510.0. Canberra: ABS

  • Other theft was most likely to occur at retail locations (31%).
  • 11% of other theft occurred at dwellings and 16% in outbuildings and other residential locations.
  • Other theft was less likely at transport (7%), other community (6%) and recreational (5%) locations.

Key data sources