Youth crime has escalated in Victoria, with nine young people being arrested every day for crimes including burglary to car theft.
But police and the police minister say the figures are heavily influenced by repeat offenders.
Child crime is now at its highest level in 12 years in the state, with a 23 percent surge in offences by 14 to 17-year-olds making it the age range most associated with childhood offending.
Data released by the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) showed the rate of recorded offences in Victoria was up 6.7 percent in the 12 months to June 2024—increasing to 7,925 people out of 100,000.
Growth in the number of thefts was found to be the driving force behind the higher figures, but robberies remained the main category of all offending, followed by car theft, burglary, and assault.
Alcohol is the most frequently stolen item, followed by groceries, clothing, and toiletries.
Retail stores recorded an increase of nearly 8,000 incidents up to 32,540 offences.
Crimes committed by people aged 10 to 24 rose to 49,135 incidents, a 12.4 percent increase from last year.
CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said there had been a “14 percent increase in property and deception offences recorded in the last 12 months, driven by theft, burglary/break and enter, and property damage.”
Minister Defends Figures
Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines said the high number of arrests was proof police were doing their job.Officers have made 68,579 arrests over the past year.
“There is a particular cohort of young offenders, repeat offenders, who continue to disregard the law,” Carbines said.
In the 12 months to June 2024, police say there were 20,399 unique offenders arrested for a total of 68,579 crimes.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Chris Gilbert said the fastest growing categories of crime in the state mostly related to opportunistic offending—stealing from cars, shoplifting, stealing vehicles, and items such as petrol.
“We understand many in the community are anxious about the increasing prevalence of intruders entering homes,” he said in a statement.
“Your home should be your castle, and this is why 70 additional frontline police, Dog Squad members, Highway Patrol officers, and the Public Order Response Team continue to swarm Melbourne’s suburbs every single night—specifically targeting burglars and car thieves as the Air Wing watches from above.
“Operation Trinity has made 1,550 arrests over the last year—an average of more than four burglars and thieves arrested across metropolitan Melbourne every day.”
Police say the total number of Victorian homes being broken into remains well below levels from the past decade.
In a statement, Victoria Police said that despite crime having risen in the state, when a growing population was taken into account, the rate was brought down to the fifth highest crime rate over the past decade.
