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Central Coast crime patterns: the data trail to current safety levels
Official figures show rises in specific offences alongside long-running council safety planning that began in 2017.
How we reported this
Break-and-enter offences on the Central Coast rose 17.8 per cent and motor vehicle theft increased 34.9 per cent in the two years to December 2023, with 669 break-ins and 587 vehicle thefts recorded that year.
Tracing the rise in recorded offences
These increases form part of a longer sequence of crime statistics that placed the Central Coast at a rank of 45 out of 100 for safety across Australia in 2025. Total crimes reached 29,181, equating to 84.18 offences per 1,000 people, while violent crimes numbered 4,965 and the chance of becoming a victim of violent crime stood at one in 70. The region also recorded 7,182 incidents against individuals between October 2023 and September 2024.
Council safety planning since 2017
Central Coast Council has operated under its Community Safety Plan 2017-2022 and the 2023-24 Annual Report, which set priorities around neighbourhood initiatives, road safety campaigns and foreshore redevelopment. In line with those documents the council installed 21 CCTV cameras at community facilities in Umina, Woy Woy, San Remo and Terrigal. It also runs the pedestrian safety campaign titled Look Out Before You Step Out. Tuggerah has been identified as the suburb with the highest violent crime rates within the Central Coast area.
Night-time trends and alcohol involvement
Night-time crime incidents totalled 3,278 between October 2023 and September 2024, representing 45.6 per cent of all incidents against individuals. Of those night-time incidents, 30.2 per cent were alcohol-related. Intimidation, stalking and harassment at night rose by an average of 8.6 per cent each year over the past four years, while most other crime categories remained stable. The Central Coast ranks as the 56th most dangerous area at night among 120 NSW regions.
The figures now available allow residents to compare the 2023 offence counts and the 2025 overall ranking with the objectives contained in the Community Safety Plan 2017-2022 and the subsequent annual report. Council continues to operate the CCTV network and the Look Out Before You Step Out campaign as part of its documented safety work.