Finder survey says 9 per cent of Aussies hit with property crime in 12 months

A shockingly high number of Aussies have been hit with a property crime in the past 12 months, a new survey suggests.

Comparison website Finder surveyed 1062 respondents in June this year and found 3 per cent had suffered a home break-in, 3 per cent had lost a bag or personal item to theft and 3 per cent had been hit with a car theft from June 2023 to June 2024.

“A worrying number of Aussies have been burglarised over the past year, myself included,” Finder insurance expert Tim Bennett said.

“A pair of thieves broke into my garage and stole my bicycle a few months back.

“Incidents of robbery are very unnerving and can leave homeowners and car owners feeling anxious and violated.”

Mr Bennett claimed instances of property crime tended to increase during periods of economic stress.

“Unfortunately these sorts of crimes are more prevalent during tough times which means if you’ve been the victim of a recent crime you certainly aren’t alone,” he said.

“That’s cold comfort for households who are struggling with living expenses having to endure loss and inconvenience.”

Crime victimisation data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for the 2022-23 financial year revealed 1.8 per cent of households, or about 185,000 people, experienced a break-in, while 0.5 per cent, or about 55,000 people, had a motor vehicle stolen.

A majority of car thefts happened at home, the ABS added.

About 0.2 per cent of Australians, or 51,7000 people, experienced a robbery over the year, the ABS said.