Victoria Police has just released the latest crime statistics. There were 523,523 criminal offences recorded in Victoria in the 2023 calendar year, representing an increase of 40,351 offences or 8.4% from 2022. The released data represents the first time since early 2020 that the two most recent reporting periods were unaffected by COVID-19 restrictions.
However, it is important to acknowledge that while there were no restrictions in place throughout 2022, society took time to return to normality following two years in a pandemic. Crime in Victoria has taken a similar pathway, gradually increasing back towards pre-pandemic levels rather than rapidly snapping back.
Victoria Police investigates a crime scene in Melbourne (photo ABC)
This is reiterated by the latest data released today, which reveals overall crime in Victoria remains 2.3% below the 2019 calendar year. The true crime rate, which factors in Victoria’s population growth over the years, stands at 7,698.2 offences per 100,000 people – a 5.6% increase from 2022.
Despite increasing, thecrime rate per 100,000 people remains at its third lowest level in the past decade. One of the two years with a lower crime rate was 2021 – a year heavily impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.
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The top five offences to record the greatest year-on-year increase included:
• Theft from motor vehicle (56,810 offences, +9,037). While this offence recorded the greatest increase, there were still 4,229 less crimes of this nature than in 2019. The most common items stolen include registration plates and tradie tools.
• Theft from a retail store (28,174 offences, + 7,865). This offence has remained the greatest riser in recent quarters, driven predominantly by the theft of items such as liquor, groceries, and clothes. Cost of living pressures and rising inflation are linked to this increase. Police intelligence indicates as many as 40% of offenders are first time offenders.
• Theft (other) offences (46,620 offences, +5,028). The most common theft (other) offence is theft of petrol, followed by mobile phones.
• Motor vehicle theft (20,499 offences, +4,238). This is the highest number of offences since 2016 and 9.1% (1,742) relate to cars stolen through aggravated burglaries.
• Obtain benefit by deception (28,518 offences, + 3,864). One of the most common examples of this offence is a lost or stolen credit card being used to purchase goods or services. This offence is creeping back towards pre-pandemic levels in line with increased community movement.
Victoria Police arrested more people in 2023 than the previous year and recorded the highest number of arrests in the last five years. 66,749 people were arrested and charged.
