Most dangerous shopping centres in Melbourne revealed

Young criminals are running rampant across Victoria’s biggest shopping centres, with a surge in assaults at several popular retailers in the past year.

Young criminals are running rampant across Melbourne’s biggest shopping centres, with a surge in assaults at a number of popular retailers in the last 12 months.

A Herald Sun analysis of new data from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria, which includes crimes committed by offenders aged 12 to 30 years old, shows crimes had soared at centres in Melbourne’s east and southeast.

Topping the list are shopping complexes in Ringwood, which includes Eastland, with 154 crimes committed by this age group in 2023. This soared by 45 per cent from 2022 when 106 offences were recorded.

This included 33 crimes against the person, including assault, sexual offences, abduction, stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour. A total of 105 theft, arson and property damage offences were also recorded.

Narre Warren, which is home to Fountain Gate, came in second, with 146 offences recorded. This included 58 crimes against the person and 74 theft and property and deception offences.

Cheltenham follows in third place, with Westfield Southland and other stores in the area seeing 143 offences committed last year – a substantial 78 per cent increase from the year prior.

It recorded the highest number of crimes against the person in the past five years, coming in at 39 offences. A total of 86 theft and property and deception offences were also recorded.

The number of incidents skyrocketed in Maribyrnong, which encompasses the multi-level shopping complex Highpoint, by 114 per cent from 56 in 2022, to 137 in 2023.

Young criminals are running rampant across Melbourne’s biggest shopping centres.

There were 43 assaults and other related crimes recorded last year, more than doubling from 19 in 2022. There were also 81 thefts at Maribyrnong – a jump from 24 the year prior.

Out in the regions, retail precincts in Geelong have seen crime rates fluctuate in the past five years, with 58 property and deception offences committed last year, followed by 22 crimes against the person.

Retail theft has increased across the state due to cost-of-living pressures and rising inflation. This has been driven predominantly by the theft of items such as liquor, groceries, and clothes. Police intelligence indicates as many as 40 per cent of offenders are first time offenders.

Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra said a safe shopping environment was “paramount not only for the welfare of shoppers but also for retail staff”.

“We support measures that enhance security, such as improved surveillance, increased presence of security personnel and community engagement initiatives that aim to deter criminal activities,” he said.

Mr Zahra said shoplifting has become “increasingly prevalent” in the past year, at a time when retailers are already battling rising operating costs associated with labour, fuel, energy, supply chains, rent and loans.

“Retail assaults and aggressive behaviour also remain prevalent and continue to take a toll on staff wellbeing,” he said.

Retail theft has increased across the state. Picture: Penny Stephens

It comes after a 17-year-old boy was allegedly stabbed in the backside by a 14-year-old with a machete during a disturbing daylight attack outside Westfield Knox in Wantirna South in August. Shopping centres in the suburb recorded 84 offences last year, up from 59 in 2022.

Not on the list are retailers in Melbourne’s north and west where knife crime among youths has become frequent.

In January, three teenagers were arrested after a terrifying incident where a youth allegedly tried to slash a teenage boy with a machete at Woodgrove Shopping Centre in Melton West.

Last year at least three separate stabbing incidents also occurred in the grounds surrounding Watergardens Shopping Centre in Taylors Lakes.

The Herald Sun is not suggesting these shopping centres are responsible for the crime seen in each suburb.

Knife crime among youths has become frequent at shopping centres in Melbourne’s north and west. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

In some suburbs, crimes at shopping centres in this age group have either decreased or plateaued in the past five years.

Hoppers Crossing shopping centres have experienced a decrease in offences since 2019, when 151 offences were committed.

There were also 100 less offences committed in Preston in 2023, when compared to 2019.

A Victoria Police spokesperson said overall, crime at key shopping centres across the state has decreased by 17 per cent since 2019.

“The overwhelming majority of crimes at shopping centres are low-level offending, such as someone stealing from a shop or using a lost credit card they found to purchase items,” they said.

“Almost 70 per cent of crimes at shopping centres relate to theft, property, and deception offences, meaning violent confrontations, assaults and robberies are very rare.

“This trend is consistent at Southland, Highpoint, Fountain Gate and Eastland where the vast majority of offences are lower level.”

Police are conducting additional patrols at shopping centres and transport hubs throughout the school holidays and other peak times. This is on top of regular patrols, to deter crime from occurring.