Oreti River
Safety Score (12-month average)
77
–
Crime rate
15.1 per 1,000
Population 2,124
Total crimes (past 12 months)
32
Trend (last 3 months)
▲ 80.0%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#42 / 64
Bottom 34%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Oreti River Overview
Most common offences by count were burglary (46.9%), theft (34.4%), and assault (15.6%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Oreti River is 15.0659 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 Jul 2025, Dec 2025, Apr 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in July 2025, December 2025, and April 2026.
Oreti River crime statistics: common questions
Is Oreti River safe?
Oreti River recorded 32 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 15.1 per 1,000 residents across about 2,124 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 Oreti River?
The crime rate in Oreti River is 15.1 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 32 recorded offences across about 2,124 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 Oreti River?
The most common offence category in Oreti River is burglary, with 15 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 47% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is theft (11).
Is crime going up or down in Oreti River?
Recorded offences in Oreti River have risen 80.0% 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 Oreti River compare with other suburbs in Southland Region?
Oreti River 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 Oreti River only with other suburbs in Southland Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Oreti River come from?
Figures for Oreti River, Southland 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 Oreti River is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz