Hillcrest (Rotorua District)

Rotorua District•Bay of Plenty Region
Police data to:

Safety Score (12-month average)

7

–

Crime rate

174.2 per 1,000

Population 1,866

Total crimes (past 12 months)

325

Trend (last 3 months)

▲ 29.2%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#15 / 157

Top 10%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Police data to August 2026

Hillcrest (Rotorua District) Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Sexual offences
Robbery, blackmail, and extortion
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (68.0%), burglary (21.5%), and assault (9.5%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Hillcrest (Rotorua District) is 174.169 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 15 within Bay of Plenty Region. The overall crime trend in the area has increased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Oct 2025, Jan 2026, Jul 2026.

Crime activity peaked in October 2025, January 2026, and July 2026.

Hillcrest (Rotorua District) crime statistics: common questions

Is Hillcrest (Rotorua District) safe?

Hillcrest (Rotorua District) recorded 325 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 174.2 per 1,000 residents across about 1,866 residents. These are offences recorded by New Zealand Police, which reflect what was reported and recorded rather than all crime that occurred.

What is the crime rate in Hillcrest (Rotorua District)?

The crime rate in Hillcrest (Rotorua District) is 174.2 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 325 recorded offences across about 1,866 residents. A rate counts offences against a suburb's resident population, so town centres and commercial areas can show high rates because offences there involve people who do not live there.

What is the most common crime in Hillcrest (Rotorua District)?

The most common offence category in Hillcrest (Rotorua District) is theft, with 221 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 68% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (70).

Is crime going up or down in Hillcrest (Rotorua District)?

Recorded offences in Hillcrest (Rotorua District) have risen 29.2% over the most recent three-month period compared with the previous three months. This is a three-month comparison, not a year-on-year one, and short windows move around a lot in small areas.

How does Hillcrest (Rotorua District) compare with other suburbs in Bay of Plenty Region?

Hillcrest (Rotorua District) ranks 15 of 157 suburbs in Bay of Plenty Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Hillcrest (Rotorua District) only with other suburbs in Bay of Plenty Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Hillcrest (Rotorua District) come from?

Figures for Hillcrest (Rotorua District), Rotorua District come from New Zealand Police recorded victimisation data, published through police.govt.nz, and are grouped to Stats NZ Statistical Area 2 (SA2) boundaries. They count offences recorded by Police, so they reflect reporting and recording practice as well as underlying offending.