Latest data shows biggest drop in crime in 10 years, but robbery, sex offences on the rise

NEW figures show Victoria has experienced the most significant decreases in crime since 2005, with car thefts and burglaries dropping.

Police charge protesters at the Milo Yiannopoulos event. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Man Tackled to Ground, Knocked Unconscious in Docklands Robbery.

VICTORIA has posted its biggest annual crime drop in more than a decade.

It’s been driven through a dramatic turnaround in car thefts and burglaries.

But robberies and sex offences remain on the rise.

The Herald Sun can reveal Crime Statistics Agency figures will show both the annual crime rate and total number of offences in the year to September fell compared with the previous 12 months.

SUDANESE YOUTH CRIME SURGES IN VICTORIA

MURDER CHARGE OVER BRAYBROOK GANG ATTACK

RECORD COCAINE AMOUNTS BUSTED BY AFP IN 2017
They are the most significant decreases since 2005.

Family violence fell for the first time in five years.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp said weekly intelligence showed crime improvements had continued in recent months but the force wasn’t resting on its laurels.

“This is only the start of it,’’ Mr Crisp said. “We have come some way but we know there is still a long way to go.

“There is a lot of hard work still to be done.”

Crime was stable or fell in all but three of Victoria’s 79 council areas.

Big falls in volume crime such as car theft, theft from cars and burglary helped push down the statewide figures.

Aggravated burglary, break and enter, property damage, theft, arson and justice procedure offences — which include custody escapes, failure to front court and resisting or hindering an officer — also dropped.

Police at the scene of a burglary in North Melbourne. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Carjackings and home invasions, made specific offences in December, trended down in the quarter. In many home invasions, the parties were known to each other and some involved disputes about drugs.

Robbery, dangerous and negligent acts, deception, sex offences and public order and security offences, including terrorism, were up.

Strangers meeting via dating apps and trading websites were a driver of assaults, sex attacks and property crime.

Street robberies typically involved opportunists snatching phones and cash.

Mr Crisp credited the hard work of officers and an improved focus on problems such as car theft with Victoria’s crime reversal.

“I don’t shy away from the fact that there are still some horrendous crimes committed, and if you’re the victim of one of those violent aggravated burglaries or carjackings or you know someone who has been a victim, I can think of nothing  worse,”  Mr Crisp said.

The fall in family violence cases was masked by more women turning to support services. More women were seeking help early in their relationship but others had reached crisis point and held immediate safety fears.

Police Minister Lisa Neville said Victoria Police have seen a decline in the number of youth offending.

“There’s still that group of serious youth offenders,” she said.

“But overall the number of youth offenders continues to decline.”

The biggest drop was in property crimes, including burglaries, thefts, car thefts and break-and-enters.

“That was one of our drivers that we were seeing across Victoria,” Ms Neville said.

“We’re talking a 14 per cent decline in thefts from motor vehicles.”

CRIME RATES AT A GLANCE

DOWN

■ Aggravated burglary

■ Burglary

■ Car theft

■ Theft from cars

■ Family violence

■ Break and enter

■ Property damage

■ Theft

■ Arson

■ Justice procedures — including escape custody, fail to appear and resist or hinder officer

UP
■ Robbery

■ Sexual offences

■ Dangerous and negligent acts endangering people

■ Deception

■ Public order and security offences

Source: Victoria Police. Annual change in year to September 30 v previous 12 months.

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