Motor vehicle thefts and assaults have hit a five-year high in Whittlesea.
New data from the Crime Statistics Agency reveals a 79 per cent jump in car thefts over the past five years.
In the 12 months to March, 1197 offences were recorded, up from 668 offences in the 12 months to March 2013.
The spike in car thefts contributed to a significant increase in overall thefts, which rose from 4811 offences in 2013 to 6960 in March.
In the past 12 months alone, there was a 43 per cent increase in motor vehicle thefts.
Inspector Paul Tysoe said the increase in thefts was driven by “major rises” in theft of and from motor vehicles, however he believes police are starting to see a reduction in these type of crimes.
“This high-volume crime is not limited to Whittlesea but is another area where the community can assist. These thefts are often opportunistic in nature, so we ask the community to always keep your homes and vehicles locked with valuables out of sight,” he said,
Assaults increased from 1067 offences in 2013 to 1314 in the year to March – an increase of 23 per cent.
Inspector Tysoe said police were particularly concerned by the recent increase in assaults.
In the 12 months to March, there were 519 serious assaults, up from 471 in March 2016. Common assaults rose from 548 offences in March 2016 to 733 in March this year.
“We know many assaults are driven by family violence matters and it is encouraging to see people are increasingly willing to report these matters,” Inspector Tysoe said.
“Alcohol is another driver of assaults and an area in which we need the public to be mindful.
“We have also been capturing a greater number of assault type offences relating to drivers evading police and endangering the public, which we did not previously capture to the same level.”
In Hume, assault-related offences fell for the first time since 2014. Thefts were up 16 per cent, with motor vehicle thefts hitting a five-year high. Overall crime rose 2.7 per cent in the 12 months to March, with 22,299 offences recorded by police.
The municipality also recorded a surge in dangerous driving and drug offences.
Inspector Anthony Brown said the increase in drug offences was the result of “increased commitment in that area”.
“We are constantly reviewing the ways we investigate crimes,” he said.
