Crime has risen for the third consecutive year in Hobsons Bay but
an upward trend has finally been reversed in Maribyrnong, according to
new figures.
Victoria Police crime statistics, released last week, show crime
in Hobsons Bay increased by 6 per cent in the year to June 30, driven by
a jump in assaults and drug arrests.
Inspector Richard Paterson said most assaults occurred between people who knew each other, leading to an 80 per cent arrest rate. Assaults, excluding family violence, jumped from 342 to 408, an increase of 19 per cent.
Inspector Paterson said that about a quarter of the assaults were
threats of violence, not physical injury, while road rage was also on
the increase. Family violence reports increased from 227 to 233.
He said an increase in the use of methamphetamine was partly
behind a 25 per cent spike in drug offences, which rose from 250 to 313.
Thefts from cars rose 8.9 per cent from 959 to 1044, about a
quarter of which were number-plate thefts often used to commit other
crimes. Car theft was up from 302to 312.
Residential burglaries increased 2.3 per cent, from 521 to 533.
In Maribyrnong, a drop in property and drug crime resulted in a 12
per cent decline in overall crime, but the crime rate remains 40 per cent higher than the state average.
Drug offences plummeted 46 per cent from 965 to 524, and theft of
and from motor vehicles were down 21 and 14 per cent respectively.
Assaults jumped 15 per cent from 580 and 667, largely driven by a 41 per cent increase in family violence reports.
Maribyrnong Inspector Tony Long said crimes against the person continued to challenge police.
“Family violence is a real issue right across the community, not
just Maribyrnong,” he said. “In some ways I am pleased to see the
increase because it means that our community members are feeling more
confident in the systems we have in place.”
Western suburbs Liberal MP Andrew Elsbury said more police and
protective services officers had led to more crimes being detected.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said the Hobsons Bay results showed the
government’s ‘‘tough-on crime’’ stance had failed.
“What we know is that Victoria Police has been hit with a $100-million budget cut and stripped of nearly 400 staff,” he said.
