Victoria Police has today published its latest crime statistics.
The statistics compare the 12 months to September 2013 with the 12 months to September 2012.
The overall recorded crime rate across the state has increased by 2.7 per cent, measured as a rate per 100,000 of the population which is standard across Australia. The total number of offences recorded is up by 4.6 per cent (up 18,069 offences to a total of 414,762 offences).
Crime against the person has increased by 2.5 per cent per 100,000 population. This is mostly due to an increase in the rate of assaults, up four per cent. Robbery is down 18.3 per cent, and assault excluding family violence is down 1.8 per cent.
Crime against property has decreased by 0.8 per cent as a rate per 100,000 population, with all categories down. This includes theft of motor vehicle (down 11.8 per cent), theft from motor vehicle (down 9.5 per cent), property damage (down 7.3 per cent) and residential burglaries (down 4.8 per cent).
Drug offences have increased by 8.8 per cent as a rate per 100,000 population.
Other crimes have increased by 17.4 per cent as a rate per 100,000 population, with the main driver being a rise in breaches of family violence intervention orders.
Deputy Commissioner Lucinda Nolan said the increase in crime rates was due to more detected crime, which includes offences such as drug use and possession and general behaviour in public offences.
She said police had also seen a rise in breaches of family violence intervention orders, which was directly related to more family violence based offences overall. Data shows that one in three intervention orders were breached.
Ms Nolan said while Victoria Police would continue its focus on those crimes identified in the latest statistics, police were increasingly concerned with some emerging trends, including: • Deceptions. Specifically credit cards being stolen – sometimes from mailboxes – and offenders using these cards in-store for multiple low value transactions without the victim’s knowledge. • Goods being stolen from shops. Some retailers are changing their practices in-store to introduce multiple exits, making it easier for offenders to walk out without paying for goods.
“We’re concerned with how some retailers and industries, through their own practices, are contributing to the crimes being committed,” Ms Nolan said.
“While financial institutions and retailers may be willing to factor in fraudulent activity into their profits, someone else ends up paying for it – normally the lawful customers.
“And then police resources are tied up in looking into crimes that could be prevented and are therefore taken away from dealing with organised crime, family violence, emergency management, public order and road policing.
“Let me say – we’re not walking away from investigating crimes. But our message is – don’t make it that easy for criminals.
“Everyone has a role to play. If we expect people to lock their doors and windows to prevent burglary, then we expect industries to crime-proof their service practices so that they don’t put profit ahead of their responsibilities to the community.”
The local area commanders in charge of each police service area have provided a written commentary accompanying the statistics. To view them visit My Place at www.vicpolicenews.com.au/my-place.html