By Alesha Capone
The number of crimes recorded in Wyndham during a 12-month period has risen by more than 14 per cent, with the amount of aggravated robberies and aggravated burglaries increasing substantially.
Data from the state’s Crime Statistics Agency, released last month, shows that between September 2018 and September last year, there was 16,201 offences reported to Wyndham police (compared to 14,119 offences during the previous 12 months).
There were 181 aggravated robberies in Wyndham (compared to 129 previously) and 24 non-aggravated robberies (22 previously). There were also 103 residential aggravated burglaries in Wyndham (82 previously), 787 non-aggravated residential burglaries (797 previously) and 317 non-aggravated burglaries at non-residential premises (370 previously).
Police recorded 1023 “steal from a retail store” offences (746 previously); 1384 thefts from motor vehicles (1404 previously); 516 motor vehicle thefts (487 previously) and 1147 criminal damage incidents (981 previously).
The amount of sexual assaults reported in Wyndham increased too, with 394 offences (366 previously). In the area of family violence, there were 330 assaults (275 previously) and 562 common assaults (493 previously).
Generally, people are charged with common assault if they physically attack another person without causing injury. Outside of family violence, Wyndham recorded 222 other serious assaults (180 previously) and 246 other common assaults (241 previously).
Of note, 59 assaults were committed against police and other emergency service workers (52 previously).
The Opposition’s shadow Attorney-General, Edward O’Donohue, said that across Victoria, the worst offending age bracket was 15-19 year olds, who committed 7333 alleged incidents between September 2018 and September last year – the largest number of crimes against the person by an age group ever recorded.
“Worse than these headline statistics are the increases in robbery, drug dealing and drug trafficking; crimes that cause so much harm in the community,” Mr O’Donohue said.
“Despite all of Daniel Andrews’ promises and his supposed tough on crime rhetoric, Victorians are more likely to be victims of crime now than they were a year ago.”
