By Eleanor Wilson
A jump in theft, drug possession and sexual offences in Casey has culminated in an overall 4.2 per cent rise in crime in the municipality this year.
The Crime Statistics Agency released its findings for the year ending 30 September 2022 last week, analysing crime rates across the state.
The City of Casey recorded 20,491 offences for 2022, with breaching a family violence order the most prevalent offence, recorded 2839 times.
Despite the increase, the overall crime rate in Casey is at its third lowest rate in seven years, a reduction of 2856 offences from the highest rate of 23,347 offences in 2016.
Casey’s offence rate for the year ending September 2022 was also significantly lower than the Victorian average, recording a rate of 5435.7 compared to 7196.4 for the state.
Concerningly, sexual offences in Casey shot up by 32 per cent, while abduction-related offences almost doubled.
Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour rose by 10 per cent, the highest it has been since 2016.
Theft rose marginally, but was also down significantly on pre-pandemic levels.
Cranbourne was named the municipality’s most dangerous suburb, with 2801 recorded offences in 2022, followed by Narre Warren, Berwick, Hampton Park and Clyde North.
Casey Local Area Commander Inspector Melissa Webbers said the community can rest assured Casey police will be on the roads, at popular community locations and entertainment districts to ensure everyone is able to enjoy the festive season and the New Year.
“While we are seeing a gradual increase in crime as we move further away from the pandemic, police in Casey will continue to do everything we can to keep crime as low as possible,” she said.
“Home burglaries, car theft, criminal damage and sexual offences are some of our key priorities with teams of uniform police and detectives working to prevent this type of offending and apprehend offenders.
“Our strong approach to community safety will continue with a number of initiatives from our Casey Community Policing Team, who are out engaging with the local community on a daily basis, local transit police, who actively patrol the public transport network, to specialised sexual and family violence detectives who are tasked to thoroughly investigate every single report of sexual and family violence.”
Statewide, the overall offence rate per 100,000 people reduced by 5 per cent, resulting in the lowest overall offence rate since 2011.
There were 474,446 criminal offences recorded in Victoria for the year ending September 2022, representing a decrease of 21,373 offences or 4.3 per cent from the same 12-month period in 2021.
This represents the lowest number of criminal offences committed in the year ending September since 2014.
Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Rick Nugent said it was really pleasing to see total crime in Victoria well down on previous years.
“While we anticipate overall crime will increase gradually as we move further away from the pandemic, Victoria Police will be doing everything we can to keep crime as low as possible,” he said.
“Proactive policing will continue to be a pivotal component in Victoria Police’s approach to reducing crime and holding offenders accountable in 2023 and beyond.
“This includes Operation Alliance teams creating a hostile environment for the state’s worst youth offenders, the VIPER and Echo Task forces dismantling organised crime groups, Operation Achilles officers arresting dangerous drivers and seizing cars, and local detectives running co-ordinated operations to target burglars and car thieves.”
