Port Hedland, WA 6721 Crime Rate 2023: Is it safe?

According to Western Australia Police Force (WAPOL), Port Hedland crime rate for the year ending December 2022 was 21679 incidents per 100,000 population. This represents a 36% increase from the previous year.

Port Hedland Crime Index

17

(100 is safest)

Safer than 17% of most Australia suburbs

Port Hedland Crime Map

Is Port Hedland Safe?

Port Hedland has moderate safety metrics. Crime rates in Port Hedland are considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia. Port Hedland is safer than 17% of all Australian suburbs and than 28% of Western Australia suburbs. However, stealing is a common offence in Port Hedland.

Port Hedland Crime Statistics at a Glance

Has Crime in Port Hedland increased or decreased in the past 5 years? The chart below shows the 60-month historical trend of the number of offences that occurred in Port Hedland.

• The number of criminal incidents recorded by Western Australia Police Force in the year 2022 was 878, up 36% from 646 incidents recorded in the same period last year.

• Port Hedland is in the 28th percentile for safety, meaning 72% of Western Australia suburbs are safer than Port Hedland and 28% of suburbs are more dangerous than Port Hedland.

• Common crime: stealing.

• The number of assault offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 26% (17 Incidents) compared to the previous year..

• There was no change in the number of sexual offences recorded during the years 2021 and 2022.

• The number of homicide offences recorded in 2022 increased by 300% (3 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of burglary offences recorded in 2022 increased by 31% (19 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of stealing offences recorded in 2022 increased by 69% (45 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• There was no change in the number of robbery offences recorded during the years 2021 and 2022.

• The number of motor vehicle thefts recorded in 2022 increased by 52% (17 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of property damage offences recorded in 2022 increased by 40% (17 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

Crime in Port Hedland: An In-Depth Analysis

AU Crime Rate’s analysis of recent crime data from the Western Australia Police Force (WAPOL) reveals that Port Hedland’s crime rate is considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia, as it is ranked safer than only 17% of suburbs across the country, irrespective of population size.

Approximately 72% of Western Australia suburbs have a lower crime rate compared to Port Hedland. Therefore, Port Hedland’s public safety metrics are generally considered moderate.

How risky is that? Living in Port Hedland comes with a statistical risk of 1 in 10 of becoming a victim of crime, considering the total rate of crimes against the person and property. In contrast, the average chance of falling victim to crime in Western Australia stands at 1 in 13.

To better understand Port Hedland’s overall crime rate, it is essential to examine its performance in crimes against the person and property crimes separately. This approach can provide further insight into whether violent crimes, property crimes, or both, are the primary drivers of the general crime rate in Port Hedland.

AU Crime Rate’s analysis of Port Hedland crime statistics shows that there are 1901 incidents against the person per 100,000 inhabitants in a standard year, compared to the Western Australia average rate of 2158. As a result, the chances of becoming a victim of crimes such as homicide, assault, sexual offences, robbery, deprivation of liberty, and threatening behaviour in Port Hedland are 1 in 52.

Our analysis indicates that if you reside in Port Hedland, your chances of falling victim to property crimes, including stealing, stealing of motor vehicles, burglary, arson, and property damage, are 1 in 12, equivalent to a rate of 7506 per 100,000 residents. As a reference, the property crime rate for every 100,000 residents in Western Australia is 4822.

Port Hedland Crime Rates by Offences Division

Port Hedland Crimes Against the Person

These are violent crimes against people whether these are family violence or non-family violence. Basically, if someone does something to hurt or scare another person, it’s considered a crime against the person. This includes:

• Assault and related offences: There are different types of assault, like serious assault, which is when someone causes severe injuries as a result of a physical attack, and assault on police, emergency services, or other authorised officers, which is when someone attacks a cop or a paramedic or someone doing their job. There’s also common assault, which is like when someone threatens to punch you or makes you feel scared for your safety.
  
• Robbery: There are two types of robbery or mugging: aggravated and non-aggravated. Aggravated robbery is when someone uses a weapon like a knife or a firearm (armed robbery) or causes serious harm to the victim during the robbery, like hitting them with a bat or a gun. Non-aggravated robbery is when someone doesn’t use a weapon or cause serious harm during the robbery but still uses force or the threat of force to take something from the victim.
  
• Deprivation of Liberty: This offence typically involves unlawfully detaining or confining another person against their will. The essence of this offence is the intentional restriction of a person’s freedom of movement without lawful excuse or their consent.
  
• Threatening behaviour: This represents harassing or threatening someone based on their race, skin colour, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability, in what’s known as hate crimes. It also includes insulting someone, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Crime Against the Person

Crimes Against the Person Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Crimes Against the Person: Port Hedland vs Western Australia

Port Hedland Against Property offences

These are crimes related to stealing or damaging property or deceiving someone for personal gain. Property crimes include:

• Stealing: It can be committed in various forms such as shoplifting, stealing from a person’s home, or taking a vehicle without permission. Other examples include stealing a bicycle, snatching a purse, or taking items from an unattended bag.
  
• Burglary (unlawful entry): Aggravated and non-aggravated burglaries are examples of burglary. Aggravated burglary involves the use of weapons, threats, or violence during the break-in, while non-aggravated burglary does not involve such factors.
  
• Arson: Arson is a criminal act of intentionally setting fire to a property, building, or forest (bushfire)  without lawful or justifiable reason.
  
• Property damage: This refers to intentional or accidental harm caused to someone else’s property, such as vandalism, or graffiti.

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of Against Property offences

Crimes Against Property Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Against Property offences: Port Hedland vs Western Australia

Other Offences

The category of other offences encompasses a range of unlawful activities such as drug-related violations, graffiti vandalism, various forms of fraud and related deceptive practices, as well as contraventions of Violence Restraining Orders. These offences, while distinct in nature, all fall under the broader umbrella of criminal activities that are subject to legal penalties.

Other Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Other Offences: Port Hedland vs Western Australia

Port Hedland Crimes per Square KM

How many murders in Port Hedland in 2022?

According to Western Australia Police Force (WAPOL), there were 3 homicides in Port Hedland in 2022. It’s important to note that this figure includes all homicides, not just murders.

What’s the most common crime in Port Hedland?

According to the latest available data from Western Australia Police Force (WAPOL), the most common type of crime in Port Hedland is stealing.

What is the crime rate in Port Hedland?

The overall crime rate in Port Hedland, as measured by the number of reported offences per 100,000 population was 21679 in the year ending December 2022.

However, it’s important to note that this is an aggregate figure that includes all types of crime, and some types of offences are more prevalent than others. Additionally, crime rates can vary by location, with some areas experiencing higher rates of certain types of crime than others.

Is Port Hedland a safe place to live in?

Port Hedland is safer than 17% of suburbs across Australia and the crime rates are considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia. Compared to Western Australia suburbs, Port Hedland is safer than 28% of other suburbs in the state which are considered moderate safety scores in Western Australia.

Total Crime Stats of Port Hedland

Note: This article doesn’t have detailed data for family violence, victims, female offenders, reoffending, stalking, and youth crime. For more information about these topics, check our resources page.

References

• Western Australia Police Force (WAPOL)
• Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census QuickStats for all persons