Crime Stoppers Victoria data reveals highest reports from public on road policing issues
While there were spikes in calls to Crime Stoppers Victoria following two horrific murders, new data reveals the two top reasons people have called the hotline over the past year.
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Victoria's top crime reporting hotline has experienced a surge in calls about road policing issues, new data reveals.
Crime Stoppers Victoria data from April 2019 to March 2020, sent to the Leader, reveals the hotline received the highest volume of calls relating to road policing at 41 per cent, followed by drugs (33 per cent), suspicious behaviour (7 per cent), wanted on warrants (5 per cent) and homicide (3 per cent).
Other calls related to other law enforcement purpose at 3 per cent, missing person related (2 per cent), non sexual assault (2 per cent), shop stealing (2 per cent) and theft (2 per cent).
The hotline also experienced a jump in reports in March 2020 at 7276, compared to
6239 the previous month.
Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive Stella Smith said the figures in March revealed people still had safety concerns within their community amid COVID-19 restrictions.
“It may be that a call to Crime Stoppers tipped police off to the location of a meth lab in rural Victoria or provided one piece of information that solved a homicide,” Ms Smith said.
“That caller may never have told Crime Stoppers their identity and that’s OK. Protecting the identity of people who report to Crime Stoppers is our first priority.
“Confidentiality is the cornerstone of our program and the reason it is so successful.”
According to the crime-fighting program, the tragic murders of Aiia Maasarwe in January 2019 and Eurydice Dixon in June 2018 resulted in 50 per cent increases in total reports to Crime Stoppers in the days following the incidents.
The program last year also ran a campaign to highlight the number of illegal firearms in the community.
The first week of the campaign led to a 155 per cent increase in reports of illegal guns to Crime Stoppers.
“Gun crime is a concern in our community. Guns are so dangerous, especially in the hands of people who show no respect for law. This effects perceptions of community safety,” Ms Smith said.
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Last year, Crime Stoppers Victoria reached its 25,000th arrest after a concerned citizen tipped the hotline off about someone who was a habitual drug-driver.
THE FACTS
Crime Stoppers Victoria Reports
Mar 2020: 7276
Feb. 2020: 6239
Jan 2020: 6553
Dec. 2019: 6484
Nov. 2019: 6504
Oct. 2019: 6233
Sep. 2019: 5925
Aug. 2019: 6150
Jul. 2019: 6192
Jun. 2019: 5684
May 2019: 6594
Apr. 2019: 6352
Mar 2019: 7,713
Source: Crime Stoppers
Top 10 Crime Reporting Categories
April 2019 to March 2020
Road Policing: 41%
Drugs: 33%
Suspicious behaviour: 7%
Wanted on warrants: 5%
Homicide: 3%
Other law enforcement purpose: 3%
Missing person related: 2%
Non sexual assault: 2%
Shop stealing: 2%
Theft: 2%