Concerning increase for crime in South Gippsland

CRIME in Bass Coast continues to show a downward trend while South Gippsland was up an alarmingly 11.5%, according to the latest Crime Statistics Agency data.

Criminal incidences in Bass Coast were down 0.6%, with criminal damage up (231 compared to 204 last year) and the number one principal offence. The top two suburbs – Wonthaggi and Cowes – were both up on the previous year with Wonthaggi reporting 90 more criminal incidences and Cowes 8.

Family Violence Incidences were down 6.1% compared to the previous year, with 875 incidences reported compared to 932.

In South Gippsland, criminal incidences were up 11.5%, with family violence order breaches the number one principal offence up 28 incidences. Leongatha and Korumburra rounded out the two top suburbs up 93 and 29 incidences respectively.

Family violence was up 2.6% (543 incidences compared to 529 last year).

There were 474,446 criminal offences recorded in Victoria for the year ending September 2022, representing a decrease of 21,373 offences or 4.3% from the same twelve-month period in 2021; the lowest number of criminal offences committed since 2014.

“It’s again really pleasing to see total crime in Victoria well down on previous years,” Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Rick Nugent said.

“While we anticipate overall crime will increase gradually as we move further away from the pandemic, Victoria Police will be doing everything we can to keep crime as low as possible.

“A significant degree of proactive enforcement occurs each and every day to keep the community safe and prevent offending before it occurs.”

State-wide the overall offence rate reduced by 5%, resulting in the lowest since 2011.

Offending decreased across 19 of the 28 crimes while a majority of the nine crime subcategories that increased only experienced negligible rises, ensuring the overall crime rate remained well down.

Heading into the festive period, individuals are urged to secure their belongings including vehicles and homes and report incidences, including family violence and assault at their first opportunity.

Key offences of note:

• Overall crimes against the person, decreased by 1007 offences from the previous 12-month period.

• While robberies only decreased by a small amount from the previous year, this offence is now at its lowest point since 2005. By way of comparison, this is a 36.3% decrease from the highest point in the past decade – 2019.

• Family violence related offences decreased, with 3,772 less family violence related offences than the previous twelve months.

• Overall burglary/break and enter offences, which includes residential and commercial properties, reached their lowest levels since the introduction of the LEAP in 1993.

• Overall property and deception offences were at their lowest levels in LEAP history.