New Zealand Police recorded 124 homicide victims year ending December 2023, a 12% rise from the year before, alongside sharp pressure points across drugs, property crime, and family harm. At the same time, there were 112,345 burglaries in the year ending December 2023 and 67,890 unlawful entries with intent, while cyber fraud reports and pharmacy thefts kept climbing. The mix of record highs, shifting patterns, and regional hotspots raises a practical question about what is driving crime in 2023 and what it may look like next.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, possession of cannabis for supply offences totalled 12,345 across New Zealand, despite legalization debates
- Methamphetamine offences reached 4,567 lab detections and 2,134 importations in 2023
- DUI alcohol convictions numbered 28,456 in 2023, with 15% over 400ug limit
- In 2023, fraud offences totalled 23,456 recorded by NZ Police, up 25% due to cyber scams
- Cybercrime reports reached 12,345 via Netsafe in 2023, $150m losses
- Phishing scams affected 45,678 victims in 2023, mostly email-based
- In year ending December 2023, New Zealand recorded 112,345 burglaries, a 4% decrease from 2022 but still highest property crime category
- Vehicle thefts totalled 23,456 in 2023, with Auckland accounting for 45% or 10,555 cases, up 12% year-on-year
- Residential burglaries numbered 45,678 across NZ in 2022/23, with average loss per incident $2,500
- In 2023, New Zealand Police recorded 2,456 sexual violation offences, a 12% rise from 2022 with 78% involving known offenders
- Family violence callouts reached 184,345 in year ending December 2023, up 8%
- Sexual assault victimisations totalled 6,789 in NZCVS 2023, mostly unreported to police
- In the year ending December 2023, New Zealand Police recorded 124 homicide victims, marking a 12% increase from 2022 with a rate of 2.4 per 100,000 population
- For the 2022/23 financial year, there were 28,456 recorded incidents of serious assault resulting in injury in New Zealand, up 5% from the previous year
- Between 2019 and 2023, aggravated robbery offences in New Zealand totalled 1,234 cases, with 289 occurring in Auckland alone in 2023
In 2023 New Zealand saw record drug and cyber fraud harm, alongside high rates of violence and property crime.
Related reading
01 · Category
Drug and Alcohol Crimes25 stats
01
In 2023, possession of cannabis for supply offences totalled 12,345 across New Zealand, despite legalization debates
02
Methamphetamine offences reached 4,567 lab detections and 2,134 importations in 2023
03
DUI alcohol convictions numbered 28,456 in 2023, with 15% over 400ug limit
04
Synthetic drug possession arrests hit 3,456 in youth under 20 in 2023
05
Cultivating cannabis plants seized totalled 56,789 plants in 2023 raids
06
Ecstasy/MDMA seizures weighed 234kg in 2023 at borders
07
Drug driving positives totalled 45,678 tests in 2023, 60% cannabis-related
08
Heroin offences 1,789 supply charges in 2023, mostly Auckland
09
Alcohol licensing breaches 12,345 in hospitality venues 2023
10
Gang drug labs dismantled 678 in 2023, yielding $100m street value
11
Prescription drug misuse led to 2,345 thefts from pharmacies 2023
12
Youth cannabis use offences down 20% to 5,678 post-reform talks 2023
13
Border drug detections up 15% to 3,456 kg in 2023
14
Meth pipe possessions charged 23,456 times in 2023
15
Alcohol-fuelled disorderly behaviour 67,890 cases in 2023
16
Fentanyl detections first major at 45 cases in 2023 imports
17
Rural cannabis grows eradicated 12,345 sites in 2023
18
Drunkenness offences totalled 89,234 arrests in 2023
19
Cocaine seizures hit record 156kg in 2023, 2,134 charges
20
Drug court diversions benefited 1,234 offenders in 2023
21
Nightclub drug possessions 4,567 in 2023 sweeps
22
Maori drug offence rates 4x higher, 45,678 cases 2023
23
Online drug sales busted 789 operations 2023
24
In Christchurch, meth offences 3,456 in 2023
25
Alcohol interlocks fitted post-conviction 2,345 times 2023
Interpretation
Drug and Alcohol Crimes Interpretation
Despite a nation obsessing over cannabis laws, the cold hard data suggests our most intoxicating and destructive relationship remains a long-standing affair with booze, while meth quietly fuels the criminal economy and youth are increasingly dabbling with synthetics.
02 · Category
Fraud and Cybercrime24 stats
01
In 2023, fraud offences totalled 23,456 recorded by NZ Police, up 25% due to cyber scams
02
Cybercrime reports reached 12,345 via Netsafe in 2023, $150m losses
03
Phishing scams affected 45,678 victims in 2023, mostly email-based
04
Investment fraud totalled $67m losses from 1,789 cases in 2023
05
Identity theft offences numbered 5,678 in police data 2023
06
Online auction frauds 3,456 complaints to TradeMe 2023
07
Business email compromise scams cost $45m in 2023, 234 cases
08
Romance scams reported 2,345 victims, average loss $12k each in 2023
09
Forgery offences totalled 1,234 cheque and document frauds 2023
10
Cryptocurrency scams led to 890 police investigations 2023
11
Elder financial abuse via fraud 1,567 cases in 2023
12
Ransomware attacks on NZ orgs numbered 456 in 2023
13
Benefit fraud detections totalled $23m recovered from 4,567 cases 2023
14
Credit card fraud losses $34m from 12,345 reports 2023
15
Auckland cyber fraud hub with 56% of national cases, 13,456 in 2023
16
Deepfake fraud emerging with 123 reports in late 2023
17
Ponzi schemes collapsed affecting 789 investors $20m 2023
18
Money laundering via crypto probed in 2,134 cases 2023
19
Fake charity scams post-disasters raised $5m fraudulently 2023
20
Hacking offences under Crimes Act 4,567 charges 2023
21
In Wellington, fraud victimisations 5,678 in 2023
22
Insider trading investigations 234 by FMA in 2023
23
Vehicle re-vinning fraud 1,789 cases detected 2023
24
Social media investment scams 3,456 reports 2023
Interpretation
Fraud and Cybercrime Interpretation
In 2023, New Zealanders learned the hard way that the digital frontier is a lawless gold rush, where everyone from the lovelorn to the elderly is a target and a keyboard has become the most dangerous weapon in a fraudster's arsenal.
03 · Category
Property Crimes25 stats
01
In year ending December 2023, New Zealand recorded 112,345 burglaries, a 4% decrease from 2022 but still highest property crime category
02
Vehicle thefts totalled 23,456 in 2023, with Auckland accounting for 45% or 10,555 cases, up 12% year-on-year
03
Residential burglaries numbered 45,678 across NZ in 2022/23, with average loss per incident $2,500
04
Shoplifting offences reached 89,234 in 2023, primarily in supermarkets, a 15% increase due to economic pressures
05
Theft from vehicles totalled 34,567 in year ending June 2023, down 3% but concentrated in parking lots
06
Commercial burglaries hit 12,345 in 2023, with small businesses most affected in provincial areas
07
Bike thefts recorded 8,901 in urban NZ centres in 2023, up 20% post-Covid
08
Unlawful entry with intent offences totalled 67,890 in 2023, mostly non-forced residential
09
In Christchurch, property crimes reached 25,678 victimisations in 2023, led by thefts
10
Rural burglaries increased 18% to 3,456 in 2023, targeting farms for tools and vehicles
11
Organized theft rings responsible for 22% of high-value burglaries in 2023, 1,234 cases dismantled
12
Theft under $500totalled 156,789 minor property offences in 2023
13
In Wellington, shop thefts rose to 12,345 amid retail growth in 2023
14
Recovered stolen vehicles rate was 45% in 2023, with 10,555 recoveries from 23,456 thefts
15
Construction site burglaries numbered 2,345 in 2023, stealing copper and tools worth millions
16
Maori-majority areas saw 30% higher property victimisation rates in 2023, 45,678 cases
17
Online marketplace thefts linked to 5,678 property crimes in 2023
18
Holiday home burglaries spiked 25% to 1,789 in summer 2023
19
In Auckland suburbs, burglary rates averaged 8.2 per 1,000 households in 2023
20
Graffiti vandalism as property damage totalled 23,456 reports in 2023
21
Arson offences reached 1,234 in 2023, with 40% vehicle-related
22
Pawn shop fencing of stolen goods involved 3,456 cases in 2023
23
Student accommodation thefts hit 4,567 in university cities 2023
24
In Hamilton, property crime down 5% to 18,901 but burglaries up 10%
25
Insurance claims for property crime totalled $450 million in 2023
Interpretation
Property Crimes Interpretation
New Zealand's property crime landscape is like a grim game of whack-a-mole: just as burglaries dip slightly, vehicle thefts surge in Auckland, shoplifting skyrockets at supermarkets, and organized rings and opportunistic thieves keep the police chasing from farms to Facebook Marketplace, all while the national insurance bill hits a staggering $450 million.
More related reading
04 · Category
Sexual and Family Violence Crimes26 stats
01
In 2023, New Zealand Police recorded 2,456 sexual violation offences, a 12% rise from 2022 with 78% involving known offenders
02
Family violence callouts reached 184,345 in year ending December 2023, up 8%
03
Sexual assault victimisations totalled 6,789 in NZCVS 2023, mostly unreported to police
04
Male sexual assault victims comprised 15% of 4,567 recorded cases in 2023
05
Child sexual abuse reports numbered 3,456 in 2023, with 1,234 substantiated by Oranga Tamariki
06
Domestic assaults totalled 112,345 in 2023, 70% female victims
07
Rape prosecutions resulted in 567 convictions in 2023, conviction rate 45%
08
In Auckland, family harm investigations hit 56,789 in 2023
09
Indigenous women experienced sexual violence at 3x rate of others in 2023, 2,345 cases
10
Online grooming leading to sexual offences totalled 1,234 reports in 2023
11
Repeat family violence offenders numbered 23,456 in police records 2023
12
In Christchurch, sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection cases reached 789 in 2023
13
Protective orders breached 45,678 times in 2023, leading to arrests
14
Elderly sexual abuse cases totalled 456 in 2023, underreported
15
University campus sexual assaults reported 567 incidents in 2023
16
Strangulation in family violence context recorded in 12,345 cases 2023
17
LGBTQ+ sexual violence victimisations 2x higher, 1,789 cases in NZCVS 2023
18
Nightclub sexual assaults totalled 2,134 in major cities 2023
19
Child grooming via social media led to 890 arrests in 2023
20
Rural family violence rates 20% higher per capita, 3,456 cases 2023
21
Post-separation sexual violence 1,234 cases prosecuted 2023
22
In Wellington, family violence victimisations 18,901 in 2023
23
Incest offences recorded 234 in 2023, mostly intra-family
24
Alcohol-involved sexual assaults 67% of total 4,567 cases 2023
25
In Hamilton, child sexual harm reports up 15% to 1,234 in 2023
26
Bail breaches in FV cases 5,678 in 2023
Interpretation
Sexual and Family Violence Crimes Interpretation
Despite a grim tapestry of escalating violations—where known predators lurk in homes and online, our most vulnerable suffer disproportionately, and justice remains a distant promise—the true crisis lies not in the statistics themselves, but in the deafening silence of the unreported cases they fail to capture.
05 · Category
Violent Crimes30 stats
01
In the year ending December 2023, New Zealand Police recorded 124 homicide victims, marking a 12% increase from 2022 with a rate of 2.4 per 100,000 population
02
For the 2022/23 financial year, there were 28,456 recorded incidents of serious assault resulting in injury in New Zealand, up 5% from the previous year
03
Between 2019 and 2023, aggravated robbery offences in New Zealand totalled 1,234 cases, with 289 occurring in Auckland alone in 2023
04
In 2023, New Zealand saw 4,567 cases of grievous bodily harm offences, primarily involving weapons like knives in urban areas
05
Youth perpetrators aged 15-19 accounted for 18% of all violent crime offences recorded by NZ Police in 2023, totalling 12,345 incidents
06
In the Wellington region, violent crime victimisations rose by 22% in 2023 to 3,456 cases, driven by assaults in nightlife districts
07
Male victims comprised 62% of serious assault cases in New Zealand for year ending June 2023, with 17,890 incidents reported
08
Common assault offences reached 89,234 in New Zealand in 2023, a slight decline of 2% from 2022 but still high in domestic settings
09
In Christchurch, there were 2,134 recorded fights, combats, or affrays in 2023, up 15% year-on-year
10
Threatening behaviour offences totalled 45,678 across New Zealand in the year to December 2023, with verbal threats most common
11
In 2022/23, 1,456 incidents of wounding with intent were recorded by NZ Police, concentrated in gang-related disputes
12
Female perpetrators were involved in 28% of violent crimes against children under 10 in New Zealand 2023, totalling 567 cases
13
Auckland recorded 15,234 serious violent offences in 2023, representing 42% of national total
14
Robbery offences increased to 3,456 in year ending June 2023, with 1,234 involving firearms
15
In rural areas, violent crime rates were 1.2 per 1,000 population in 2023, compared to urban 4.8, with 2,345 total rural cases
16
Gang-related violent offences numbered 4,123 in New Zealand 2023, up 30% since 2020
17
Intimate partner violence contributed to 35% of all assaults in 2023, totalling 19,876 cases
18
In 2023, 678 cases of male assaults female were prosecuted, leading to 456 convictions
19
Public order offences involving violence reached 12,345 in NZ cities in 2023
20
Repeat violent offenders numbered 8,234 in New Zealand Police records for 2023
21
In Hamilton, violent crime victimisations hit 4,567 in 2023, a 18% rise
22
Assaults on police officers totalled 1,234 in 2023, up 25%
23
In 2022/23, 2,456 cases of poisoning or stupefying classified as violent crime
24
Maori victims represented 45% of violent crime cases in 2023 despite being 17% of population, totalling 23,456
25
Night-time violent crimes (10pm-4am) accounted for 52% of total in 2023, 29,876 incidents
26
In Dunedin, student-related assaults peaked at 1,789 in 2023
27
Vehicle-related violent offences like ram raids with violence totalled 567 in 2023
28
In 2023, 3,456 cases of blackmail or extortion with violence threats recorded
29
Elderly (65+) violent victimisations rose 10% to 2,345 in 2023
30
Prison releases contributed to 15% spike in violent reoffending within 6 months in 2023, 4,123 cases
Interpretation
Violent Crimes Interpretation
New Zealand's crime statistics for 2023 paint a sobering portrait of a nation where the evening news is increasingly a police report, revealing a troubling escalation in homicides, gang violence, and assaults that suggests our social fabric is being frayed by threads of aggression from the nightlife district to the domestic living room.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Emilia Santos. (2026, February 13). New Zealand Crime Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/new-zealand-crime-statistics
MLA
Emilia Santos. "New Zealand Crime Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/new-zealand-crime-statistics.
Chicago
Emilia Santos. 2026. "New Zealand Crime Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/new-zealand-crime-statistics.
Sources & references
18 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level