Matatā-Otakiri
Safety Score (12-month average)
42
–
Crime rate
26.5 per 1,000
Population 1,737
Total crimes (past 12 months)
46
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 41.7%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#92 / 157
Bottom 41%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Police data to August 2026Matatā-Otakiri Overview
Most common offences by count were burglary (43.5%), theft (37.0%), and assault (13.0%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Matatā-Otakiri is 26.4824 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 92 within Bay of Plenty Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Sep 2025, May 2026, Jul 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in September 2025, May 2026, and July 2026.
Matatā-Otakiri crime statistics: common questions
Is Matatā-Otakiri safe?
Matatā-Otakiri recorded 46 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 26.5 per 1,000 residents across about 1,737 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 Matatā-Otakiri?
The crime rate in Matatā-Otakiri is 26.5 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 46 recorded offences across about 1,737 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 Matatā-Otakiri?
The most common offence category in Matatā-Otakiri is burglary, with 20 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 43% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is theft (17).
Is crime going up or down in Matatā-Otakiri?
Recorded offences in Matatā-Otakiri have fallen 41.7% 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 Matatā-Otakiri compare with other suburbs in Bay of Plenty Region?
Matatā-Otakiri ranks 92 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 Matatā-Otakiri only with other suburbs in Bay of Plenty Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Matatā-Otakiri come from?
Figures for Matatā-Otakiri, Whakatane 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.
Looking for a plain-English safety summary?
👉 See how safe Matatā-Otakiri is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz