A 26 per cent spike in crime in Braybrook and a 21 per cent rise in the 3032 postcode covering the suburbs of Maribyrnong and Ascot Vale have driven a 14.1 per cent overall increase in crime across Maribyrnong.
Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) data released last week shows 9032 crimes were recorded in Maribyrnong municipality in the 12 months to March 31 – up from 7914 and the highest level in at least five years.
At 44 per cent of the total, theft remained by far the biggest contributor to local crime – up 16.2 per cent, from 3400 to 3953 offences.
Drug dealing and trafficking offences in the municipality almost doubled, from 103 to 189, while assaults were up from 468 to 520.
Braybrook recorded 1410 crimes, up from 1120 the year before.
The 3032 postcode of Maribyrnong and Ascot Vale had 3530 reported crimes, leapfrogging 3011 (Footscray and Seddon), where 3141 offences were recorded as crime rose by 10.2 per cent. Yarraville crime rose 17.2 per cent from 847 to 723, while offences were also up in 3011 (Maidstone, West Footscray, Kingsville and Brooklyn), from 2179 to 2007.
Statewide, a 12.4 per cent surge in crime was driven by a rise in weapons and explosives offences (up 18.5 per cent) and theft offences (16.1 per cent).
CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said property and deception offences overall had increased in the year to March 31, and 65 per cent of that was due to an increase in theft. “Our analysis shows one in every three recorded offences in Victoria is theft-related.”
Deputy police commissioner Andrew Crisp said the figures showed the need for people to take steps to help prevent property being stolen, especially from cars.
“In a lot of cases, those vehicles are being left unlocked,” he said.
Mr Crisp drew a link between a rise in drug crime and other offences, pointing to the 80 per cent jump in methamphetamine use and possession.
“We know ice is then linked to violent offending and other criminal behaviour and activity,” he said.
