OVERALL crime in Hobsons Bay soared almost 20 per cent last financial year, more than double the state average of 8.2 per cent.
Assaults rose 15.1 per cent, from 497 to 572, between July 1 last year and June 30 this year.
Forty-four rapes were reported last financial year, 20 more than the previous year, but other sexual assaults dropped 44.8 per cent from 105 to 58.
Four homicides were recorded, up from two.
Aggravated burglary (when someone is home) rose 30.4 per cent from 46 to 60, while other residential burglaries rose 22.9 per cent from 424 to 521.
Burglaries at commercial and retail premises jumped 27.8 per cent from 162 to 207, and property damage jumped 14.8 per cent from 744 to 854.
The biggest jump was in handling stolen goods with 225 reports — a 112 per cent spike.
In a statement, Inspector Bill Mathers said the statistics for Hobsons Bay reflected an increase in all areas with the exception of robberies (down 32 per cent).
“Unfortunately, like other areas in Victoria, we are seeing an overall rise in crime rates.
“We have targeted recidivist offenders and high-risk locations because we have found that many of our criminal offenders are repeat offending and often they reside outside of our local area.”
Weapons and explosives offences rose 25 per cent from 117 to 147, antisocial behaviour in public jumped 25 per cent from 60 to 75 and harassment was up 42 per cent.
Car theft and theft from cars each rose 14 per cent. The number of vehicles reported stolen increased from 264 to 301, while thefts from cars jumped from 843 to 961. Sixty-eight bikes were reported stolen, an increase of 41.7 per cent.
‘Other’ thefts rose 39 per cent, from 651 to 905. Robberies dropped 32.1 per cent from 84 to 57.
Recorded offences of drug cultivation, manufacturing and trafficking rose from 49 to 66, a 34.7 per cent increase. Drug use and possession was up 8 per cent, from 174 to 188.
“The increase in drug offences is a positive result as it represents more people being detected and processed for drug offences,” Inspector Mathers said.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan blamed the Baillieu government’s “inaction” for the 20 per cent crime rise in Hobsons Bay and the first crime rise in Victoria (8.2 per cent) for a decade.
“We are well above the state average and going backwards in Hobsons Bay.”
He said the government had cut $65 million and 350 jobs from Victoria Police and slashed 480 jobs from the Justice Department.
A spokeswoman for Police Minister Peter Ryan said the government had delivered more than 850 extra frontline police and 145 protective services officers.
