Victorian crime statistics: Overall rate falls for first time in six years
VICTORIA’S top cop has warned of an alarming trend of sex attacks linked to dating apps as new stats reveal a drop in crime across the state.
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VICTORIA’S top cop has warned of an alarming trend of sex attacks linked to people inviting strangers from dating apps like Tinder into their homes.
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Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton saidvictims were befriending strangers via hook-up apps, dating sites, online trading forums and social media and then being unlawfully and sexually assaulted when they met in person.
He warned such meetings should initially be made in the safety of a public space.
“It’s an online phenomenon really — and it’s all ages,’’ Mr Ashton told the Herald Sun.
“They might be meeting on dating apps but they might also be in your Buy, Swap and Sell-type apps.
“They’re having to meet somebody as a result of that and they are meeting them in their homes.
“We’re getting assaults, thefts and sexual assaults arising from that activity. You think you know someone online but technically they are a stranger.”
The warning comes as new figures are set to reveal crime in Victoria has fallen for the first time in six years. But a spate of home invasions continues to plague the state.
Crime Statistics Agency Victoria figures out today are expected to show a statewide drop in the total number of offences and crime rate in the year to June 30.
But Mr Ashton insists Victoria’s crime woes are far from over with the number of robberies, assaults and aggravated burglaries still rising.
“There is much more to be done,’’ he said. “We haven’t won anything.”
It’s hoped the improvement compared to the previous 12 months is the start of a sustained turnaround off record high crime levels.
Police intelligence suggests continued improvements in recent months.
Arson, burglary, break and enter, property damage and fraud offences all fell in the year to June 30.
Carrying weapons, disorderly and offensive conduct, public nuisance, drug dealing and drug manufacture were also down.
Vehicle theft and theft from vehicles has flatlined for the first time in years — Mr Ashton declaring Victoria was “looking forward to handing the baton” of Australia’s car theft capital “back to NSW”.
Crimes against the person remain of serious concern despite a halving of growth in aggravated burglaries between April and June.
“We have had growth of crime for the last six years and this is the first time we’ve actually been in the negative,’’ Mr Ashton said.
“What we’ve been trying to do is work with repeat offenders — getting to know them really well and smashing them.
“That’s really been the focus and seems to be paying the most dividends for us.
“There are some areas we still have got to do a lot of work on but pretty much every crime category is either dropping or the growth is slowing.
“We are anticipating they will continue to come down and be in the negative soon too.
“Something we’ve still got to do a lot of work on is the fear of crime — so we’re really working hard on the aggravated burglaries and home invasions.
“We know who these offenders are that are doing it and they are just relentless.
“We get them, we present them, they get some time in custody, then they are out and they are repeat offending.
“We’ve just go to maintain the pressure on them.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville said violence against women remained all too common.
Ms Neville said improvements in the overall crime figures were testament to the hard work of Victoria Police.
“However, there is still a lot more work to be done,’’ she said.
The police chief credited the work of officers, community support and victims speaking up against perpetrators for driving the crime reversal.
The same data last year revealed a 13.4 per cent crime surge.
