By Eleanor Wilson
Fresh data shows crime is on the rise in Cardinia, typified by hikes in thefts from motor vehicles and breaching family violence orders.
Figures from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) for the year ending March 2023 show criminal offences in Cardinia shot up 8.5 per cent for a total of 6832 offences.
Crime in Pakenham climbed 10 per cent to 4115 offences and was the epicentre of almost two thirds of the municipality’s crime last year.
Officer recorded the second highest crime rate with 908 offences, followed by Beaconsfield, Kooweerup and Emerald, all of which measured an escalation in crime.
Family violence incidents in the shire were down 3.5 per cent and were also lower than the Victorian average of 1377.7 per 100,000 of the population.
Despite this, breaching a family violence order remains the top offence for the municipality, rising 15 per cent from last year’s figures.
Females aged 35-44 were the most common victims of family violence in Cardinia last year.
Residential aggravated burglary registered a concerning increase, mounting from 60 instances last year to 107 for the year ending March 2023.
Theft from retail stores in Cardinia also rose 25 per cent, while stealing from a motor vehicle shot up 10 per cent and motor vehicle theft increased a staggering 44 per cent.
It follows an alarming pattern of aggravated burglaries across the state, which surged 30 per cent overall, with a stark 86.7 per cent increase in the number of burglaries committed by youths.
Victoria Police deputy commissioner Rick Nugent said the rise in residential aggravated burglary is predominantly driven by youths sneaking into unlocked homes to steal car keys.
“What we’ve seen over time is a shift in the reason aggravated burglaries are committed,” deputy commissioner Nugent said.
“Many years ago, commonly aggravated burglaries were known to each other: drug debts, drug related, gang related.
“The shift we’ve seen is to get access to keys to top end cars.”
Deputy commissioner Nugent said in some parts of Melbourne, up to 70 per cent of homes broken into are unlocked.
“So we also implore the community to take simple measures such as looking all doors, windows, and gates to help foil opportunistic thieves,” he said.
“Serious and violent youth crime is another ongoing focus, with Operation Alliance leading to the arrest of about 450 youth gang members a combined total of more than 1500 times over the past year.”
Statewide, the number of offences increased 5.6 per cent in the last 12 months.
CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley pointed to “a return to pre-pandemic related movements” as an explanation of the statewide increase in crime.
“The volume increase in recorded offences is largely attributable to non-family violence related crime.
“While there has been an increase in recorded crime measures for the year ending 31 March 2023, the figures remain below those recorded in 2019,” Ms Dowsley said.
Dangerous driving was one crime category which saw a steep hike across the state, rising 17 per cent.
But in Cardinia it saw a drop from 37 instances in 2022 to 26 this year.
“A horror 2023 on Victorian roads is another major concern, with 145 lives lost as of today, up 39 on the same time last year,” deputy commissioner Nugent said.
“Reckless drivers are firmly in the sights of local and state highway patrol units who continue to run targeted and intelligence led operations to reduce the likelihood of further trauma on our roads.”
