A 10-week Wyndham police operation to combat a 9.7 per cent rise in crime across the city last year will be extended after more than 300 people were arrested during the crackdown.
Since March 31, police in the Westgate division – including Footscray, Williamstown and Altona North police stations – have worked in the operation alongside Wyndham’s police community safety team, burglary unit, motor vehicle crime reduction team and uniform police.
The latest operation began after data released by the Crime Statistics Agency revealed crime across Wyndham rose from 13,025 offences in 2014 to 14,285 last year.
In March this year, Wyndham experienced more than 130 thefts from cars and more than 100 burglaries.
Wyndham’s Inspector Frank Sells said that over the past 10 weeks, police had arrested 316 offenders for a range of offences including burglary, theft, drugs, assault, robbery, damage and driving offences.
Inspector Sells said he was pleased to see the combined, strength-in-numbers approach work.
“The efforts of police from Wyndham and the broader Westgate division have significantly disrupted crime activity. As such, we’re continuing with this initiative to further reduce crime and associated offending.”
Wyndham’s community safety team was doubled in strength at the end of March.
The team was formed mid-last year to curb crime and antisocial behaviour around Wyndham’s shopping centres and train stations through mobile and foot patrols. It now has a sergeant and eight operational members.
Constable Shaun Tait said teams of two or three were deployed to different locations across Wyndham, depending on police data and intelligence.
He said the team was a proactive way of taking offenders off the streets.
