Wyndham’s crime rate has dropped 2.3 per cent in the past year, despite a rise in burglaries, breaches of court orders and drug use and possession.
New statistics released by the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) reveal that crime across Wyndham fell from 13,077 offences to 12,700 in the 12 months to March 2015, with a marked drop in assaults, property damage, theft and deceptions.
Wyndham police’s Inspector Frank Sells said he was pleased with the results.
“This is a great result for the Wyndham police service area,” he said.
“A lot of work has been done across the broader community with regards to violence – simply that it will not be tolerated.
“Our policing partners, including local government, support agencies and the community itself, have positively influenced attitudes around violence … family-related or otherwise.”
On the flip side, breaches of court orders jumped 34 per cent in the same period, drug use and possession rose 25 per cent, stalking, harassment and other threatening behaviour was up 19 per cent, and burglaries and breaking and entering offences rose 11 per cent.
CSA figures reveal that residential burglaries across the state were most likely to happen between noon and 6pm on Fridays.
Jewellery, electrical goods, tools, personal property, cash and important documents were the most commonly stolen items.
Inspector Sells said new estates in the city, including homes under construction or recently completed properties, were attractive to thieves.
But commercial building sites are also targets, with Werribee Plaza, the Tarneit Community Centre and Library and the Good News Lutheran College all hit by thieves in recent months.
Inspector Sells advised home and business owners to install a basic alarm system and report any suspicious behaviour.
“Police are actively looking at this type of crime and in doing so conduct both overt and covert operations to deter and apprehend offenders,” he said.
“Our focus is on all types of crime, but we’re doing a lot of work around vehicle crime, including theft of cars and from cars, burglary and family violence.”
