Has Crime in Victoria, Australia Surged to an All-Time High?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Victoria's crime incidents surged by 18.3 percent.
- Theft from motor vehicles is the fastest-growing crime.
- Overall crime rates have reached their highest since 2004-05.
- Victimization rates have also significantly increased.
- Family incidents recorded a notable rise.
Melbourne, Sep 25 (NationPress) According to the latest official data released on Thursday, the southeastern Australian state of Victoria has experienced a significant increase in reported criminal incidents, soaring over 18 percent to a record-breaking level in the 2024-25 period.
The statistics, published by Victoria's Crime Statistics Agency (CSA), indicate that there were 483,583 criminal incidents documented in the state for the year ending June.
This figure marks an 18.3 percent rise compared to the previous year and stands as the highest number of criminal incidents reported in Victoria since the inception of such reporting in 2004-05.
Among the alarming trends, incidents of theft from motor vehicles surged by 39.4 percent, reaching 86,351 cases in the year up to June, making it the most prevalent and rapidly increasing crime in the region.
Overall, reported criminal incidents have hit their peak since CSA began tracking data in 2004-05. Allegations against offenders rose by 19.3 percent, totaling 196,456 incidents in the past year, while the rate climbed 17.2 percent to 3,123.3 per 100,000 individuals, as highlighted in the CSA's media release.
The total theft incidents also rose by 33.8 percent, increasing by 11,457 to 45,304 alleged offender incidents. Specifically, thefts from retail stores saw a dramatic rise of 41.8 percent, adding 6,040 cases to reach 20,474.
The victimization rate also witnessed a rise of 16.1 percent, hitting 3,956.8 reported incidents per 100,000 Victorians, as per the CSA's media release. Reports related to personal victimization increased by 18.0 percent, totaling 280,805, while organizational reports climbed 25.1 percent to 117,219. The surge in personal victim reports was largely due to theft, which increased by 28.7 percent to 131,802.
Family-related incidents also saw a rise of 7.7 percent over the past year, resulting in 106,427 recorded incidents throughout Victoria, with the rate increasing by 5.9 percent, equating to 1,499.6 incidents per 100,000 residents.