Geelong records significant increase in thefts and deception

One Geelong suburb had more drug trafficking offences than any other in the region in 2023, while cocaine busts were also rapid. Find out where and see how your suburb compares.

A number of Geelong thieves have recently appeared in court for theft.

One Geelong suburb had more drug trafficking offences than any other in the region in 2023, it can be revealed.

Norlane, in the city’s north, was the biggest hot spot for drug deals with 14 arrests, according to new data sourced by the Crime Statistics Agency.

Victoria’s regional area with the most cocaine trafficking offences was also Greater Geelong with eight arrests.

The numbers also revealed Geelong had a rate of 30.1 drug traffickers per 100,000 population, significantly lower than the top five of Buloke, in the state’s north, with 328.8, Melbourne (188.2), Greater Shepparton (155.2), Greater Bendigo (149.6) and Glenelg (139.9).

Geelong records significant increase in thefts and deception

Meanwhile criminal offences in Geelong increased 13 per cent last year, with the number of property and deception offences jumping nearly 25 per cent,

The data reveals the total number of criminal incidents in the Greater Geelong region was 22,601 in 2023, up from 19,875 the year prior.

Property and deception offences reported the biggest increase.

These types of offences increased by 26.3 per cent, with 12,644 offences recorded.

There were 1589 deception offences in 2023, compared to 885 the previous year.

In 2023, there were 7161 theft offences, compared to 5696 the previous year.

Victorian Police investigation and response manager Karl Curran said the top priority for Geelong police was community safety.

“We continue to focus our resources according to the latest crime trends, community concerns, and ultimately where we can prevent the most harm,” he said.

“Motor vehicle thefts have decreased by 15 per cent when compared to pre-pandemic, we are still seeing thefts from motor vehicles occur, in particular offenders looking for unlocked doors to steal valuables left in cars.

“We know that this type of offending is opportunistic – when interviewed, offenders are telling us they will walk up and down a street until they find a door or window that is unlocked.

“This is why we have teams of officers patrolling the community every day and night targeting criminals looking to commit opportunistic crimes.”

Victoria Police’s deputy commissioner of regional operations Neil Paterson said crime in across the state had gradually increased post-pandemic.

“When population is considered, Victoria pleasingly still has its third lowest crime rate at any point over the past decade – ahead of only 2022 and the Covid-marred 2021,” he said.

CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said “the recent upturn in most key crime measures is due to increases in high volume property and deception offences categories, particularly in thefts from motor vehicles and retail stores”.

“An increase in these acquisitive offence types reflects in part a return to pre-pandemic trends, but also is in line with current cost of living pressures,” she said.

Who has appeared in the Geelong courts recently on charges of theft?

Boris John Pavlovic fronted the Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to one count of theft.

Boris Pavlovic

Pavlovic thought it was his “lucky day” when he found $600 on the ground outside a service station.

On March 30 last year Pavolovic noticed 12 $50 notes on the ground and picked up the cash and left the scene.

Magistrate Ann McGarvie said “finders, keepers” did not apply and people should make reasonable efforts to return cash and property they find.

He was convicted and fined $300 for the theft.

A young pokie fiend has stolen thousands of dollars from his workplace to fund his gambling addiction. Dallas Riccardi, 23, pleaded guilty to theft in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Dallas Riccardi

Riccardi, a young pokies addict, took cash bags totalling $4200 from his workplace at the AMX Superstore in Geelong to the bank.

Riccardi, who had worked at the store for 12 months, was quizzed by his store manager as to what happened to the cash and told his employer he “did not steal the money”, before eventually admitting he did.

Magistrate Franz Holzer said Riccardi needed to take responsibility and sentenced him to a 12 month community corrections order.

A bodybuilder has taken to a shopping centre bollard and ashtray with an axe in a bizarre drunken midnight heist. Sam Micheal Stevenson, 35, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Sam Stevenson

Stevenson used an axe to remove a bollard and ashtray valued at just under $1000 at the Corio Village shopping centre at 12.50am on December 2, 2022.

The following morning, a shopping centre security guard noticed the missing bollard and checked the security cameras from the night before.

He was ordered to pay restitution fees and was sentenced to a six-month good behaviour bond.

Beau Blake who faced the Geelong Magistrates' Court on Tuesday

Beau Blake

Blake pleaded guilty to charges including car theft, gun possession, drug-driving and unlicensed driving in a string of incidents which occurred between 2022 and 2023.

Blake smashed a stolen car into a power pole in Geelong West at 4am on September 20, 2022.

He was also responsible for causing a number of other collisions in Geelong.

A Geelong mum has been caught with an assortment of weapons, including a baton after she tried to pinch two designer handbags. Karli Bell fronted Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to weapons charges.

Karli Bell

Bell pleaded guilty to a number of charges including theft, and the court heard she pinched handbags from Myers in the Geelong CBD, before heading through the men’s section and towards the exit.

The security guards were hot on her tail and watched her leave the store without making any attempt to pay for the two bags, which totalled $488.

Bell was fined $700 for the thefts.

Maxwell Berry

Berry, a bar hand, stole thousands of dollars in wedding cards and gifts from happy couples celebrating their nuptials.

A series of brides and grooms tying the knot in February and March of 2023 reported stolen cash, wedding cards and gift cards to the estate management.

He was sentenced to a ten month good behaviour bond and ordered him to pay back $2000 to his victims.

Originally published as Geelong records significant increase in thefts and deception