Across the region, robberies without a weapon jumped 54 per cent in the latest snapshot from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), detailing the crime numbers in the 12 months to December, last year.

Across the New England area, robberies with a firearm, with a dangerous weapon such as knife and without a weapon were all up along with rates of non-domestic assaults which jumped from 1,157 incidents in the 12 months to December, 2016, to 1,303 incidents in the same period to 2017.

Domestic violence-related assaults fell by more than 120 incidents across the region, and despite paywave crime, the rates of fraud also fell by more than 80 incidents.

Almost 120 less cars had thefts in the 12 months to December, 2017, than the previous year but 75 more cars were stolen.

In the Tamworth council area, assaults jumped by almost 100 incidents in 2017, but robbery rates were stable, and barely unchanged from the previous year.

Thefts from cars more than halved from 512 incidents to 223 in 2017 and break-ins to businesses dropped significantly, so too fraud rates and malicious damage to properties.

In Gunnedah, the number of break-ins to businesses dropped from 37 to 11 and indecent assaults almost halved, but the majority of crime rates were stable.

Glen Innes saw falls in DV-related assaults and thefts from cars and shoplifting. 

In Inverell, break-ins to homes fell by 60 incidents in the 12 months but break-ins to businesses doubled and the number of cars stolen almost tripled.

The Liverpool Plains saw falls in DV-assaults and shoplifting, while Moree Plains saw significant jumps in nine crime categories with robbery rates doubling.

BOCSAR’s Dr Don Weatherburn said the long-term trends for country crime rates were remarkably good but there were still areas like Moree with significant crime problems and “many times higher than the state average".

He said the spike in sexual assault incidents was due to an increase in reporting of historical child sex offences.