Teens in Victoria commit 360 crimes weekly, the highest since 2009, with police concered about a tendency to target unlocked doors and windows in pursuit of social media fame.
Teens aged 14 to 17 committed 18,729 crimes last year, a 29.4 percent jump from 2022.
They were more often involved in serious crimes more than once, including assaults (3,823, up 531), burglaries (2,221, up 788), car thefts (1,703, up 588), and robberies (1,652, up 696).
Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said police were focused on young people as major perpetrators of aggravated burglaries after 5,900 teens admitted to roaming streets until they found an unlocked door or window.
“They’re sneaking in, stealing keys [from] generally unlocked premises, and then they take the car,” he said.
He explained social media fame and a desire for notoriety drove many young people to get caught up in burglaries.
“[It’s about] the ‘look at me’ [attitude], trying to make themself out as being special,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.
Yet, he warned that preventing burglaries would require significant effort.
“We are trying to make [aggravated burglaries] drop. In the short-term, I don’t see them dropping.
“There’s a whole lot of different things in play in the community at the moment that mean that this isn’t going to turn around really quickly.”
Plans to Raise Age of Criminal Responsibility
The state government continues to work on crime-fighting reforms, with plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 and then 14 by 2027.It cited medical evidence that suggested very young children may not understand that their behaviour is seriously wrong, making them unable to form criminal intent.
Younger children sentenced for the first time are also more likely to re-offend as adults, and their offences may be more frequent and violent.
“When very young children engage in harmful behaviour, we know that something has gone terribly wrong in their life. We need to respond effectively and compassionately whilst still making sure they’re accountable for their actions,” Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said.
However, opposition police spokesman Brad Battin said the government should reconsider its pledge to raise the age of criminal responsibility in light of the crime statistics.
“[It’s] something that in the future we should be talking about but it’s not the right time,” the former police officer said.
He argued only a Liberal and national government would properly support Victoria Police and increase the number of police beyond current levels, which, in his opinion, would tackle the crime epidemic.
“Police numbers are going backwards—that is an objective fact. Police are doing the best they can, but they are just not being given the tools they need,” he said.
Police Resource Strain
Fewer police officers are working on the streets for every 100,000 people in Victoria, dropping from 242 to 235 between 2021-22 and 2022-23, a Productivity Commission report found.At the same time, there was a 23.5 percent increase in staff who do not directly work in police operations.
A lack of police resources saw car thefts in Victoria jump by 9,000 from 2022 to nearly 57,000 in 2023, roughly 156 offences daily.
In a recent incident, three teens allegedly fueled up a stolen Ford Fiesta and a stolen Renault at a Kangaroo Flat petrol station at 1:40 a.m. on March 17 before driving away without paying.
In an erratic police chase, the Renault managed to get away while the Ford crashed and rolled.
Police charged three teens aged 15, 16, and 17, with theft, careless driving, and reckless conduct endangering life.
Meanwhile, the scourge of youth crime is also felt in other states.
Queensland reported 10,878 young offenders aged 10 to 17 in 2022–23, a 6 percent increase or 574 more offenders than the previous year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data.
All Australian states and territories except the Northern Territory (NT) also witnessed an increase in youth offenders during the same time.
