Gunnedah rates number three in the state for the highest number of car thefts.
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The disturbing statistic was revealed as part of the most recent Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) report.
According to the data, car theft was up 114 per cent, with 28 incidents in 2017 increasing to 60 incidents in 2018.
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On top of this, stealing from cars was up 113 per cent, increasing from 45 incidents in 2017 to 96 in 2018.
Gunnedah Crime Prevention Committee chair Colleen Fuller said the community needs to take responsibility to resolve the issue.
"Local police have been sending a clear message over the last six months or so in an awareness campaign to the community on the need to report incidents and be vigilant in locking vehicles and homes," Councillor Fuller said.
"The Crime Prevention Committee is focused on working with police and supporting them to bring those statistics down – our shire’s liveability is of utmost importance to us."
Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey said he was "fully supportive" of the local police force.
Lock your things up, don't leave your keys around.
- Colleen Fuller, Crime Prevention Committee chairperson
"In the most recent months we’ve seen a drop in the number of reported incidents, by December it was already on the decline," Councillor Chaffey said.
"I applaud local police on the results that have come through since that spike, with a number of arrests having been made.”
According to the BOCSAR numbers, break and enters to homes rose from 62 to 92 in the 12 months to December 2018.
In break-ins to businesses, the data more than doubled from 11 to 23 in the same time period.
Shop-lifting almost halved from 76 in 2017 to 40 incidents last year.
All other crime categories remained relatively stable.
Gunnedah police were unavailable to comment before publication.