Waitao

Western Bay of Plenty DistrictBay of Plenty Region
Last updated:

Safety Score (12-month average)

92

Crime rate

5.0 per 1,000

Population 1,812

Total crimes (past 12 months)

9

Trend (last 3 months)

→ 0.0%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#142 / 157

Bottom 10%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Updated August 2026

Waitao Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were burglary (38.5%), assault (30.8%), and theft (30.8%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Waitao is 4.9669 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 142 within Bay of Plenty Region. The overall crime trend in the area has remained the same in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Dec 2025, Apr 2026, May 2026.

Crime activity peaked in December 2025, April 2026, and May 2026.

Waitao crime statistics: common questions

Is Waitao safe?

Waitao recorded 9 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 5.0 per 1,000 residents across about 1,812 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 Waitao?

The crime rate in Waitao is 5.0 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 9 recorded offences across about 1,812 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 Waitao?

The most common offence category in Waitao is theft, with 4 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 44% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is assault (3).

Is crime going up or down in Waitao?

Recorded offences in Waitao have stayed level 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 Waitao compare with other suburbs in Bay of Plenty Region?

Waitao ranks 142 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 Waitao only with other suburbs in Bay of Plenty Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Waitao come from?

Figures for Waitao, Western Bay of Plenty 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 Waitao is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz