December 26th, 2024Crime rate rise: latest figures released

There were 578,762 criminal offences recorded in Victoria in the twelve months to September 2024 – an increase of 68,536 offences or 13.4%, the latest crime statistics released by Victoria Police reveal.

The crime rate when population growth is considered is 8,305.8 offences per 100,000 people – a 10.9% increase from the year before.

However, this remains lower than the highs of 2016 where the rate was 8,798 per 100,000 people.

With crime increasing, Victoria Police arrested 26,640 people a total of 70,863 times – the most arrests since 2005.

This equates to 194 arrests per day. These individuals were charged with a total of 268,142 offences.

For comparison, Victoria Police made 64,975 arrests last year and 56,330 arrests a decade ago (12 months to September 2015).

The top five offences to record the greatest year-on-year increase were:

• Theft from motor vehicle (68,042 offences, +13,924) reached record highs and remains the most common criminal offence.

More than a third of theft from motor vehicle offences relate to number plates being stolen (24,257 offences).

Power tools were the second most targeted item. 83% of all theft from motor vehicle offences showed no sign of forced entry.

• Theft from a retail store (35,951 offences, + 9,635) recorded the largest percentage increase of the top five crimes (+36.6%), with inflation, cost-of-living pressures and high interest rates driving record levels of grocery and alcohol thefts.

Meat, fresh produce, cosmetics, and vitamins are among the items most frequently stolen.

Police are running a series of retail theft operations across the state, surrounding clothing stores in South Yarra, supermarkets in Port Melbourne, large department stores in Melbourne’s CBD, hardware stores in Shepparton and even street markets selling stolen meat in St Albans.

It is anticipated this will remain an issue as cost-of-living pressures bite and first-time offenders turn to stealing.