Sydney LGA crime statistics
Reporting period: 2025-07 – 2026-06
37,365 recorded in this period, compared with 37,547 in the preceding period.
LGA totals use the selected offence categories. Locality counts and population-adjusted LGA rates are different measures.
About Sydney
The City of Sydney is the local government area encompassing the central business district and surrounding inner-city suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Geographically, it covers a diverse area extending from the shores of Sydney Harbour to the inner-western and inner-southern urban corridors. Demographically, the area is characterized by high population density, with a significant proportion of residents living in high-rise apartments. It serves as a major hub for international professionals, students, and transient workers, resulting in a culturally diverse population with a high concentration of tertiary-educated individuals.
Local life in the City of Sydney is defined by its status as the nation’s primary commercial, retail, and tourism destination. The area provides extensive amenities, including major public transport interchanges, world-class cultural institutions like the Sydney Opera House and the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and numerous public parks such as the Royal Botanic Garden and Hyde Park. The economy is heavily concentrated in finance, technology, professional services, and hospitality, supported by a dense network of retail precincts, entertainment venues, and a robust nightlife sector.
The area is of profound historical significance, encompassing the site of the first British colonial settlement in Australia established at Sydney Cove in 1788. It retains a rich heritage reflected in its preserved colonial-era architecture, including sandstone buildings, historic churches, and the narrow laneways of The Rocks. The City of Sydney manages a landscape that reflects a long-term layering of development, from its origins as a penal colony and maritime port to its modern evolution as a global financial centre, with many sites officially protected for their ongoing archaeological and cultural value.
Recorded offence categories
| Category | Current period | Previous period |
|---|---|---|
| Breach bail conditions | 3,942 | 4,091 |
| Transport regulatory offences | 3,690 | 4,625 |
| Other theft | 3,148 | 2,876 |
| Assault - non-domestic violence | 3,000 | 2,915 |
| Steal from retail store | 2,803 | 3,008 |
| Malicious damage to property | 2,226 | 2,165 |
| Fraud | 2,125 | 2,122 |
| Harassment threatening | 2,050 | 1,880 |
| Steal from dwelling | 1,549 | 1,329 |
| Possession use of cannabis | 1,400 | 1,158 |
| Assault - domestic violence | 1,204 | 1,208 |
| Liquor offences | 1,085 | 1,241 |
| Sexual Offences | 1,040 | 958 |
| Prohibited weapons offences | 991 | 935 |
| Receiving stolen goods | 954 | 1,004 |
| Trespass | 953 | 898 |
| Steal from motor vehicle | 862 | 881 |
| Breach AVO | 843 | 757 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 675 | 573 |
| Break and enter dwelling | 668 | 613 |
| Offensive conduct | 642 | 689 |
| Resist or hinder officer | 556 | 535 |
| Break and enter non-dwelling | 358 | 374 |
| Steal from person | 309 | 333 |
| Robbery | 181 | 216 |
| Offensive language | 60 | 102 |
| Arson | 51 | 61 |
Community context
The 2021 Census recorded 211,632 residents. This is not a current population estimate.
Sources and interpretation
These are police-recorded incident or victim counts, not every unreported incident or a prediction of personal safety. Percentage changes are not tests of statistical significance; small counts need particular care.