Rural Crime Wave – Police Breakthrough in West Ballina
Macadamia growers and rural landholders warned as police recover stolen ATVs amid growing property-crime concern
Police have made a breakthrough in the investigation of a wave of rural crime in the Ballina district, where farmers say organised thieves are increasingly targeting large unattended properties.
Detectives from the Rural Crime Prevention Team attached to the Richmond Police District attended a property on River Street, West Ballina on 13 November 2025. Their enquiries led to seizure of two all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). One vehicle was stolen from a property on Reynolds Road, Casino in February; the other from Dufficys Lane, Kinvara in October. Both were recovered and the investigation remains active.
Local macadamia growers on the Alstonville-Wollongbar Plateau say the pattern of offending is different from what is usually seen in residential suburbs.
“This is not opportunistic crime – it’s very targeted,” one grower told Ballina News Daily.
They move in when the property is unattended, even cut heavy locks and chains, or force their way into sheds and take items of large value.”
He said word has spread among growers, and many had beefed up security – yet the criminals still managed to break in.
Local crime data underscores heightened risk
According to a crime-data tracker for Ballina, in the year ending June 2025 the Ballina local government area recorded 748 property-crime incidents, including arson, theft and malicious damage.
Another source reports that in 2024 the chance of being a victim of a property crime in Ballina was 1 in 17 — compared with 1 in 41 across New South Wales.
While these figures span the whole shire and don’t isolate remote farming properties, they indicate property crime is significantly higher locally than the state average.
Why rural properties may be vulnerable
Rural properties such as those on the Plateau typically have larger, more isolated out-buildings, infrequent on-site human presence, and equipment or vehicles that can be moved quickly.
According to Australian Institute of Criminology research, “other theft” and break-ins constitute a large share of non-urban offending.
The grower interviewed said: “In a lot of cases the criminals go to extreme measures to break in — and there’s no stopping them.”
What it means for growers and landholders
For rural property owners in the Ballina Shire, the message from local growers and police is clear: audit security, mark and record high-value equipment, secure access tracks and unmanned sheds, and maintain awareness of suspicious vehicles or persons.
Police urge anyone with information about recent thefts, stolen machinery or suspicious activity to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Catch those thieves!