Bluff
Safety Score (12-month average)
81
–
Crime rate
15.2 per 1,000
Population 1,782
Total crimes (past 12 months)
27
Trend (last 3 months)
▲ 66.7%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#42 / 64
Bottom 34%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Police data to August 2026Bluff Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (40.7%), burglary (33.3%), and assault (22.2%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Bluff is 15.1515 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 42 within Southland Region. The overall crime trend in the area has increased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Dec 2025, Jun 2026, Jul 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in December 2025, June 2026, and July 2026.
Bluff crime statistics: common questions
Is Bluff safe?
Bluff recorded 27 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 15.2 per 1,000 residents across about 1,782 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 Bluff?
The crime rate in Bluff is 15.2 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 27 recorded offences across about 1,782 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 Bluff?
The most common offence category in Bluff is theft, with 11 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 41% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (9).
Is crime going up or down in Bluff?
Recorded offences in Bluff have risen 66.7% 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 Bluff compare with other suburbs in Southland Region?
Bluff ranks 42 of 64 suburbs in Southland Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Bluff only with other suburbs in Southland Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Bluff come from?
Figures for Bluff, Invercargill City 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 Bluff is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz