Crime Rates for Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW

As of the Jun 2026 data release, The Lake Macquarie City Council crime rate for the Year ending Mar 2026 was calculated from 15313 reported incidents, equal to 7,161 incident per 100,000 people. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the population of Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW in 2021 was 213,845. In the last 10 years, Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW's crime rate has seen a decrease. Recent data indicates that the rate of Assault and Robbery is 1 offence per 111.7 people.Recent data indicates that property crimes (Burglary and Theft) occur at a rate of 1 incident per 40 people. When reviewing these figures, it’s also valuable to compare them with broader crime trends across the Greater Sydney region.

Most Common Crimes in Lake Macquarie City Council for 2026: Theft (4800), Against justice procedures (2485), Assault (1920).

Crime incidents in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW from 2016 to 2026 by type
Type/Year20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Total0000000001539315313
Abduction and kidnapping00000000056
Against justice procedures00000000024652485
Arson000000000145126
Assault00000000018841920
Betting and gaming offences00000000010
Blackmail and extortion0000000002930
Coercive Control000000000106
Disorderly conduct000000000241276
Drug offences000000000550633
Homicide00000000025
Intimidation, stalking and harassment00000000012321343
Liquor offences0000000002627
Malicious damage to property00000000013251258
Other offences000000000277386
Other offences against the person0000000003353
Pornography offences0000000003230
Prohibited and regulated weapons offences000000000263236
Prostitution offences00000000000
Robbery0000000003022
Sexual offences000000000577678
Theft00000000053464800
Transport regulatory offences000000000920993

In 2026, Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW recorded 15313 total crime incidents. Over the period from 2016 to 2026, overall crime has increased. Cumulatively over this period, the most common crime type was 'Theft' with 10146 reported cases.

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Latest Crime Rates

Typeincidents (2026)incidents (2025)Changes(%)
Abduction and kidnapping6520.00% (5)
Breach Apprehended Violence Order8808602.33% (860)
Breach bail conditions146314411.53% (1441)
Escape custody110.00% (1)
Other offences against justice procedures2452-53.85% (52)
Resist or hinder officer1171115.41% (111)
Arson126145-13.10% (145)
Assault Police3539-10.26% (39)
Domestic violence related assault106110461.43% (1046)
Non-domestic violence related assault8247993.13% (799)
Betting and gaming offences01-100.00% (1)
Blackmail and extortion30293.45% (29)
Coercive Control610-40.00% (10)
Criminal intent533935.90% (39)
Offensive conduct292231.82% (22)
Offensive language11757.14% (7)
Trespass1831735.78% (173)
Cultivating cannabis1215-20.00% (15)
Dealing, trafficking in amphetamines17755221.82% (55)
Dealing, trafficking in cannabis205300.00% (5)
Dealing, trafficking in cocaine251747.06% (17)
Dealing, trafficking in ecstasy9580.00% (5)
Dealing, trafficking in narcotics660.00% (6)
Dealing, trafficking in other drugs83166.67% (3)
Manufacture drug21100.00% (1)
Other drug offences4669-33.33% (69)
Possession and/or use of amphetamines120124-3.23% (124)
Possession and/or use of cannabis124151-17.88% (151)
Possession and/or use of cocaine1822-18.18% (22)
Possession and/or use of ecstasy410-60.00% (10)
Possession and/or use of narcotics7616.67% (6)
Possession and/or use of other drugs5561-9.84% (61)
Attempted murder10100.00% (0)
Manslaughter *10100.00% (0)
Murder *3250.00% (2)
Intimidation, stalking and harassment134312329.01% (1232)
Liquor offences27263.85% (26)
Malicious damage to property12581325-5.06% (1325)
Other offences38627739.35% (277)
Other offences against the person533360.61% (33)
Pornography offences3032-6.25% (32)
Prohibited and regulated weapons offences236263-10.27% (263)
Robbery with a firearm20200.00% (0)
Robbery with a weapon not a firearm12119.09% (11)
Robbery without a weapon819-57.89% (19)
Sexual assault41835318.41% (353)
Sexual touching, sexual act and other sexual offences26022416.07% (224)
Break and enter dwelling4934783.14% (478)
Break and enter non-dwelling208273-23.81% (273)
Fraud10271199-14.35% (1199)
Motor vehicle theft509526-3.23% (526)
Other theft4454186.46% (418)
Receiving or handling stolen goods7194-24.47% (94)
Steal from dwelling3273260.31% (326)
Steal from motor vehicle862951-9.36% (951)
Steal from person413132.26% (31)
Steal from retail store8161050-22.29% (1050)
Stock theft10100.00% (0)
Transport regulatory offences9939207.93% (920)

Overview

No of incidents (Year ending Mar 2026), people in 2021

Crime rates are shown as incidents per 100,000 people. These figures are based on the latest reported incidents and population data from the last census (2021). Rates may appear higher or lower than current reality depending on population changes, so it is difficult to declare any suburb completely safe or unsafe.

FAQ About Crime in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW

  • How common is car theft in the Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW?

    There were 526 motor vehicle theft incident(s) recorded between Year ending Mar 2026, averaging 1 incident every 0.7 day.

  • Is Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW safe in 2026

    Yes, Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW is considered more safe compared to the overall state average, as its crime rate of 7,161 incidents per 100,000 people for the Year ending Mar 2026 is lower than the overall crime rate in New South Wales.

  • What is the most common crime in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW?

    In 2026, the most common crime type in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW was Theft with 4800 reported incidents.

  • Has crime in the Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW increased or decreased in the past 5 years?

    Crime rates in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW have increased by 7% compared to five years ago.

  • What is rate of criminal against person in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW?

    In Year ending Mar 2026, there were 4057 incident against persons in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW, including homicide, assault, sexual offences,robbery, and other crimes against the person.

  • What is the rate of property crime in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW?

    In Year ending Mar 2026, there were 6184 property crime incident in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW, including arson, theft, and malicious damage to property.

  • What is the number of drug offenses in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW?

    In Year ending Mar 2026, Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW recorded 633 drug incident, including cocaine, narcotics, cannabis, amphetamines, ecstasy and other drugs.

Crime Statistics

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Safest Suburbs in Lake Macquarie, NSW

If you’re considering living near Lake Macquarie City Council , you might also be interested in these nearby suburbs, which consistently report lower crime rates and offer family-friendly amenities.

*Unincorporated/Out Of Council - Areas that are not governed by a local government authority

Source: Crime Statistics Agency (CSA), NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Australian Bureau of Statistics

New South Wales Overview

incidents

Latest Crime in Lake Macquarie City Council, NSW