Firearms offences double in Bass Coast as crime rate climbs 7.6 per cent

Bass Coast recorded 2577 criminal incidents compared to 2395 the previous year driven largely by a surge in Wonthaggi which reported 863 incidents - up 127 on the year before.

The new data comes after the Crime Statistics Agency released its latest annual crime figures for Victoria covering the 12 months to December 2025.

Cowes recorded 441 incidents up eight on the previous year while Inverloch was up six to 263. Grantville saw a notable increase from 72 to 119 incidents.

Breach of family violence orders was the number one recorded offence in Bass Coast with 786 offences - up 23 per cent from 639 the previous year.

Firearms offences more than doubled from 30 to 70 while prohibited and controlled weapons offences rose 73 per cent from 44 to 76.

Motor vehicle theft was up 14 per cent from 107 to 122 and theft from motor vehicles rose 12 per cent.

On a positive note sexual offences fell 24 per cent from 168 to 128 recorded offences.

The proportion of unsolved incidents in Bass Coast rose from 31.5 per cent to 35.9 per cent with 926 incidents remaining unsolved.

Family violence incidents in Bass Coast fell 6.1 per cent from 912 to 856.

In South Gippsland criminal incidents fell from 1603 to 1585.

Leongatha remained the top town for offences with 414 incidents but that figure was down 72 on the previous year. Korumburra also recorded a significant drop falling 46 incidents to 393.

However breach of family violence orders remained the number one offence in the shire with 462 recorded offences up 22 per cent from 379.

Family violence incidents in South Gippsland fell 12.5 per cent from 600 to 525.

Victim reports were also down 5 per cent from 895 to 850.

State-wide there were 630,592 criminal offences recorded in the 12 months to December 2025 - an increase of 25,250 offences or 4.2 per cent.

Car theft reached its highest level since 2001 with more than 32,000 vehicles stolen. Victoria Police said car thieves using key cloning technology were responsible for between 30 and 40 per cent of all vehicle thefts with around 800 devices seized during the year.

Child offenders were responsible for 57.6 per cent of carjackings, 52.6 per cent of home invasions and 62.4 per cent of robberies.

A record 17,400 knives and machetes were seized after the State Government classified machetes as prohibited weapons.

Aggravated home burglaries fell 4.1 per cent - the first reduction since 2020.

Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Bob Hill said crime appeared to be stabilising but cautioned it would take time before offending reduced to traditional levels.

"With 230,213 different victims of crime we are seeing far too many innocent community members harmed," he said.

"This is simply not acceptable as we want Victorians to not only be safe but feel safe in their community."

Victoria Police said cost-of-living pressures continued to fuel property crime with theft from and of motor vehicles and retail theft accounting for a third of all offending.

A new mobile app set to roll out statewide from September will allow officers to charge and bail lower-level offenders at the point of detection saving an estimated 53,000 policing hours per year.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or in an emergency call 000.