Crime up in South Gippsland by 14.5%, Bass Coast 5.9%

THE total number of criminal incidents in South Gippsland, for the year ending December 2023 went up 14.5% from 1328 incidents in 2022 to 1521 incidents in 2023.

Criminal damage and thefts were two areas of crime which showed increases while breaches of family violence orders, the biggest offence subgroup, were down marginally from 176 incidents the previous year to 168 in 2023.

Overall though, there was a slight rise in the number of family incidents, up by 1.9% in South Gippsland or 528 incidents to 538 incidents.

By comparison crime was up in Bass Coast by 5.9%, from 2054 incidents to 2175 incidents with the number of breaches of family violence orders the highest offence subgroup, up from 214 the previous year to 258 in 2023.

Overall, the total number of family incidents was down by 3.3% from 840 in 2022 to 812 in 2023.

The crime rate, that is the number of incidents per 100,000 people was 5092.9 in Bass Coast as compared to 4914.9 per 100,000 in South Gippsland.

The rate of criminal incidents per 100,000 in Latrobe in 2023 was 11,063.7, whereas Baw Baw recorded 5372.7 and Cardinia a relatively low crime rate of 3915.6.

Here are some of the crime statistics released by the peak body for recording Victoria’s crime data the Crime Statistics Agency

Bass Coast year ending December 2023:

* Criminal incidents 2715, and crime rate 5092.9 (per 100,000)

* Offences recorded 2957, and rate 6924.1 (per 100,000)

* Alleged offender incidents 1158, rate 2711.6 (per 100,000)

* Person victim reports 1284, rate 3006.6 (per 100,000).

* Family incidents 812, rate 1901.4 (per 100,000).

South Gippsland year ending December 2023:

* Criminal incidents 1521, and crime rate 4914.9 (per 100,000)

* Offences recorded 2264, and rate 7315.8 (per 100,000)

* Alleged offender incidents 778, rate 2514 (per 100,000)

* Person victim reports 803, rate 2594.8 (per 100,000).

* Family incidents 538, rate 1738.5 (per 100,000).

The Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) released the Victorian recorded crime statistics for the year ending 31 December 2023 on Thursday, March 21, 2024.

The rate of recorded offences statewide increased, up 5.6% per 100,000 Victorians to 7,698.2 in the last 12 months, and the number of offences increased 8.4% to 523,523, these remain below 2020 numbers and below the previous 2016 peak of 550,938.

Property and deception offences had the largest increase in the last 12 months, up 16.0% or 39,953 to 290,164 offences. The main driver of the increases was Theft (up 26,659 to 174,719 offences) with Steal from a motor vehicle the largest contributor (up 9,037 to 56,810 offences) in the last 12 months.

In the 12 months to December 31, 2023, the number of criminal incidents increased, up 10.6% or 37,112 to 385,782 incidents, below 2020 numbers and the previous 2016 peak of 419,599. The criminal incident rate also increased, up 7.8% to 5,672.7 per 100,000 Victorians. Property and deception offences drove this increase, up 18.4% to 229,459 incidents, just below 2019 numbers and the previous peak of 271,064 in 2016.

Alleged offender incidents increased 11.6% to 170,179 in the last 12 months, as did the rate (up 8.5% to 2,835.0 per 100,000 Victorians). Alleged offender incidents with a principal offence of Theft increased by 28.2% or 7,124 to 32,406 alleged offender incidents, driven by Steal from a retail store up 37.9% or 3,622 to 13,182 alleged offender incidents and Breach family violence orders up 2,024 or 13.1% to 17,529 incidents.

The victimisation rate increased by 7.3% to 3,227.9 reports per 100,000 Victorians, remaining below 2019 numbers. The number of person-related victim reports was up 10.2% to 222,916 and organisation-related reports was up 24.2% to 84,529, both below 2019 numbers and the 2016 peak. Steal from a motor vehicle drove the increase in person-related victim reports (up 17.4% to 45,831 person victims) while Steal from a retail store drove the increase in organisation reports (up 38.6% to 26,178).

Family incidents increased by 2.0% in the last 12 months, with 94,170 incidents recorded across Victoria. The rate of family incidents remained stable, down 0.6% or 1,384.7 incidents per 100,000 Victorians.

CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley said that “the recent upturn in most key crime measures is due to increases in high volume Property and deception offences categories, particularly in thefts from motor vehicles and retail stores. An increase in these acquisitive offence types reflects in part a return to pre-pandemic trends, but also is in line with current cost of living pressures.”