By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
THE region’s top cop says a rising tide of car thefts by young criminal networks was a “driving force” behind Casey’s soaring crime rate – up more than 15 per cent on a per capita basis in the past year.
Superintendent Paul Hollowood, who oversees the southern region, said the phenomenon was youth-based “mission” offending but not necessarily Apex Gang related.
The missions of the criminals were to steal a certain type of high-end vehicle, sourced either through carjacking or a home invasion, for example.
“They’re not great in number, but they’re certainly getting a lot of attention. Often they’re violent incidents and that has a fear impact in the community.
“The thought that someone can suddenly invade us in our home. It’s probably people’s worst fears.”
Supt Hollowood said car thefts often linked to several further serious offences, such as stealing the car keys during a burglary.
Others included affixing stolen number plates, conducting a petrol drive-off, evading police in a pursuit and then setting the car on fire to dispose of it.
“What we’re seeing is a different method of offending by youth. It’s repeat offending. It involves a lot more violence than previously, but not associated with that original Apex group.
“Many of these youth are networked differently, through social media. A lot have no prior offending either.”
Car jackings were “virtually unheard of” 20 years ago, but are now becoming more “commonplace”, Supt Hollowood.
“It’s following that US trend particularly as vehicle security is now better.”
He said occurrences weren’t so high to justify people driving with their doors locked.
“People should be aware of their surroundings as much as possible without living in fear.
“Most of it is about taking reasonable precautions. Most of the vehicles stolen are unlocked or stolen with their keys.
“How well you secure your car and house is still fundamental.”
According to the 12-month police statistics released on 16 June, weapons and explosives offences rose 60 per cent, in raw figures, up from 513 to 800.
Other sharply-rising categories included drugs, burglaries, breach of orders, robbery, arson and stalking and harassment.
Highest crime rises occurred in Endeavour Hills (44.9 per cent), Doveton (21.9 per cent) and Cranbourne (21.2 per cent).
Supt Hollowood said police had “fairly concentrated efforts” in those suburbs including nightly patrols.
Family violence continued to rise, increasing by 9.2 per cent on a per capita basis.
Supt Hollowood said the “non-tolerance” stand on family violence intervention order breaches by police was a significant factor.
Opposition police spokesman Ed O’Donohue in response to the statistics, took special aim at Cranbourne MP Jude Perera for “failing to demand more police on the beat”.
Mr O’Donohue said full-time police officers in Casey had dropped under the Andrews Government from 156.89 FTE to just 149.89 FTE in the midst of a “spate of carjackings, home invasions, drive-by shootings and gang violence”.
Mr Perera returned fire, saying the statistics clearly showed police targeted more crime, made more arrests and charged more offenders.
The State Government recently announced a $596 million public safety package for an extra 406 sworn police, including 300 more on the frontline in the next two years.
More than 100 specialist police will join the anti-gang taskforce, public order response teams, forensics and special operations group.
There was also funding for an armoured vehicle, bomb robots and a specialist training facility.
“Unfortunately, Mr O’Donohue and his Liberal colleagues left Casey and its residents high and dry when it came to community safety,” Mr Perera said.
“We are finishing the job they wouldn’t.”
Supt Hollowood said talk of less police resources in Casey was a “nonsense”. Most uniformed police stations had a “minimal” number of staff but with “several resources coming from outside”.
Outside resources included Air Wing patrols, nightly patrols in Casey by Operations Response Unit and the Canine Unit.
“We know that through the police activity, we started the Tense Taskforce to focus on youth offending in the Dandenong area and made well over 100 arrests.”
