By Sumeyya Ilanbey
Crime in Melton and Moorabool is the lowest it’s been in three years, according to the latest crime statistics.
Overall offences in Melton dropped 3.3 per cent in the year to June (from 11,149 to 10,779), while in Moorabool the drop was far steeper at eight per cent in the same period (from 2512 to 2302).
The Crime Statistics Agency data, published on Thursday, has revealed crime across most areas has fallen, including family violence incidents which decreased by more than five per cent in the 12 months to June.
In Melton, there were 244 recorded family violence-related serious assaults and 181 non-family violence-related serious assaults.
Meanwhile, in Moorabool, these numbers were 45 and 39, respectively.
Residential aggravated burglaries in Melton decreased from 102 to 78, while residential non-aggravated burglaries fell from 857 to 772.
Theft from motor vehicles continues to cause police a headache, with more than 1307 recorded offences — up from 1286.
Crime across the state has also fallen, dropping 5.6 per cent.
Crime Statistics Agency chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said: “The Victorian victimisation rate is the lowest in five years, and the alleged offender figures are the highest seen in Crime Statistics Agency data holdings, which go back to July, 2004.”
The local government areas of Melbourne, Latrobe, Yarra, Mildura and Shepparton had the highest criminal incident rates in the state, despite a drop in crime in all five areas.
Police Minister Lisa Neville said despite the significant drop in the state’s crime rates, there was still more work to do.
“Our unprecedented investment in Victoria Police is making a difference with the crime rate continuing to fall — quarter on quarter — as more frontline police hit the streets,” Ms Neville said.
“We back Victoria Police and we will continue to give them the resources, technology and the equipment they need to respond to and crack down on crime.”
More to come.
