ARMED HOLD-UPS EXPLODE AS HEROIN TAKES ITS TOLL

An increase in heroin use among the poor and the young is driving a
huge 44 per cent increase in armed hold-ups, which saw more than 9,000
people bailed up by gun, knife or syringe across the country last year.

The increase was even more stark in NSW, where hold-ups jumped by 67
per cent, or nearly 2,000.

The head of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics, Dr Don Weatherburn,
said the nation-wide increase was the biggest "this decade, if not
ever".

He indicated that heroin was taking a hold on groups such as the poor,
the unemployed and Aborigines and that a national approach was needed
to address the problem.

"There are certain groups at risk that have a toe in the water with
regards to crime and when heroin, coke or amphetamines are introduced
they are straight in at the deep end."

The recorded crime statistics released by the Australian Bureau of
Statistics yesterday compared police data from all States and found
that NSW fared badly in most areas.

There were substantial increases in most categories, with assaults up
by 8.6 per cent (17 per cent in NSW), house burglary by 4.8 (9.7) and
car theft by 6.1 (12).

But the most disturbing increase was in armed robbery, which saw an
increase from 6,256 in 1996 to 9,015 last year.

While the statistics found no heroin epidemic, they did reveal that
its use had increased among groups more likely to commit armed
robberies and break and enters, which provide quick cash.

A 1996 study by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Council found
there had been a huge increase in heroin use by inner-city Aborigines
and that prison authorities had reported an increase in the number of
Aborigines entering jail who were dependent on the drug.

A spokesman for the council said yesterday that a recent study had
also found that many more young people were using heroin and that the
average age at first use had dropped from 20 to 16.

"Heroin may now be the first illicit drug that many young people try,"
he said.

In recent years there has been a flood of heroin into Australia from
South-East Asia and the cost has more than halved while the quality
has increased.

The Police Minister, Mr Whelan, is overseas but his office said the
NSW increases could be attributed to the Federal Government's cutting
back on border controls through reduced funding for the Australian
Federal Police and Customs.

A spokeswoman said the recently introduced tough knife and street
safety laws were aimed directly at armed hold-ups.

A spokesman for the State Opposition Leader, Mr Collins, said the
statistics made "a mockery of Mr Carr's pre-election promise to be
tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime".

Checked-by: "Rich O'Grady"