Motor vehicle theft increased nationally last year but its rate in the territory dropped below the national average for the first time, new figures show.
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The number of victims of motor vehicle theft in the ACT was down by 42.5 per cent.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011 Recorded Crime-Victims Australia report also showed there were decreases in burglary, robbery, theft and assault in the territory.
ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services Simon Corbell said the ACT government had set its sights on reducing property crime, creating a Property Crime Targeting Team within ACT Policing, as well as a Property Crime Reduction Strategy.
Mr Corbell said the property crime team targeted known offenders and the property crime reduction strategy involved the government and community working towards stopping reoffenders, keeping young people out of the justice system, and reducing crime by making public places, cars and houses safer. ''It is very pleasing to see that independent statistics … confirm that the government and ACT Policing's approach to property crime is working,'' he said.
''Our challenge now is to sustain these lower levels and continue these strategies and policing activities so property crime continues to drop.''
The ABS data also showed an increase in the number of sexual assaults in the capital - 35 more last year than in 2010.