Crime down

OVERALL crime dropped in the Pakenham area in the lead-up to Christmas.
Pakenham police Acting Sergeant Ryan Murnane reported at a Neighbourhood Watch Cardinia meeting on 18 December that crime reports had dropped from 71 to 56 over the past month.
Theft of motor vehicles (14 down from 20) and property damage (10 down from 15) underpinned the drop in crime.
However, burglaries (16 up from 11), general thefts (eight up from four) and shop steals (five up from two) all increased.
There was also a small increase in theft of motor vehicles.