Hawke's Bay police are hoping new high-tech tools will help turn around an increase in reported crime in the region last year.
Reported crime in Hawke's Bay rose 2.7 per cent last year, bucking a national trend which has seen the crime rate across the country fall to its lowest level in 29 years.
The percentage of crimes resolved has fallen, although Hawke's Bay police were able to resolve more crimes than the national average. According to statistics released yesterday, there were 15,487 crimes recorded in Hawke's Bay during the 2013 calendar year, up from 15,081 offences reported in 2012. The Eastern Police District, which comprises Hawke's Bay and the neighbouring Tairawhiti region (including Gisborne) was one of three districts where crime increased. The country's other nine police districts reported drops in the rate of reported crime.
Nationally, the number of criminal offences dropped by 4.1 per cent, from 376,013 in 2012 to 360,411 in 2013.
In Hawke's Bay, most of the rise in reported crime was in the areas of violence, burglary and sex offences. There were drops in robberies and drug offending.