Youth crime by 40 per cent in Greater Geelong

Concerning data shows youth crime has spiked in Geelong and while the state government says it has imposed tougher laws, others say they’re fed up with offenders being bailed back onto the streets.

Four youths have been charged after an alleged police pursuit across Geelong’s northern suburbs on January 13.

Shocking data has revealed youth crime in Geelong has spiked by 40 per cent in the past year as police continue to actively monitor high-risk and repeat offenders.

Labor’s weak bail laws have been blamed for the staggering numbers.

However, the Victorian government promised new laws would introduce “tougher consequences”.

The statistics come after four youths were charged earlier this month over two separate incidents including one where teens allegedly stole two vehicles and led police on a chase through the city’s northern suburbs.

There were 1206 criminal offences committed by 10 to 17-year-olds across Greater Geelong in the 12 months to September 2024, according to the Crime Statistics Agency.

This is up by 42 per cent from 845 in the previous year.

A 15-year-old boy was arrested after police allegedly found a firearm, weapons and drugs inside an Armstrong Creek home on January 13.

The teen was charged the following day with a string of offences, including four counts of drug trafficking, but then released on bail.

Three youths and a 23-year-old man were charged after they allegedly led police on a pursuit in two stolen cars on January 13.

Police allege the group stole the vehicles from gym car parks before driving through Little River, Lara, Norlane and Corio.

Three teens, aged 15-16, were charged.

Earlier this month, a 12-year-old boy was one of three people charged after an alleged attempted home invasion in Grovedale.

Geelong Local Area Commander Nick Uebergang said the rise in crimes committed by children in the region had been driven by increases in shop thefts (206 offences up from 69) and criminal damage (172 up from 113)

Geelong’s crime reduction team works to monitor about 22 of the region’s work offenders – about 60 per cent of them are children.

Officers disbanded a potential youth crime gang in November, steering five teenagers away from criminal offending and onto a better path.

“Crimes committed by children have increased across Victoria – driven by sharp spikes in serious and violent crimes such as aggravated burglaries, car thefts and robberies,” Mr Uebergang said.

“However, children are either committing these crimes at lesser or similar levels in Geelong than previously.

“For example, aggravated burglaries committed by kids in Geelong have decreased by almost 80 per cent.”

A Victorian government spokeswoman said any crime was unacceptable but especially those done by repeat offenders.

“We’ve passed laws that will deliver tougher consequences for this known group of serious repeat offenders,” the spokeswoman said.

Shadow Minister for Police and Youth Justice David Southwick said: “The spike in serious crime across Geelong and surrounding communities is the direct consequence of Labor’s weak bail laws and mismanagement of Victoria Police.”

“Serious young offenders are being caught, bailed and are back reoffending in the community over and over and over again,” he said.

“Victorians are fed up with the youth crime crisis Labor’s mismanagement has caused.”

Originally published as Youth crime by 40 per cent in Greater Geelong