Cade Lucas
A rise in car and retail theft is being blamed for Wyndham recording an increase in crime over the past 12 months.
According to data released by the Crime Statistics Agency on Thursday, crime in Wyndham rose by 3.8 per cent for the year to March 2024, with 18,838 offences recorded compared to 18,143 to the same point in 2023.
Despite declining compared to the previous year, stealing from a motor vehicle was still the most common offence in the municipality, with 2155 compared to 2172 for the previous year.
Other theft continued to rise though, with 2093 offences recorded, up from 1903.
Breach of family violence orders (1653) and criminal damage (1535) were the next most common, but both were down on the previous year.
However, motor vehicle theft rose from 796 to 953 to round out the top five offence categories.
A spokesperson for Victoria Police warned Wyndham residents to be extra vigilant in securing their vehicles.
“What we know is offenders roam up and down streets and until they find an unlocked vehicle. In Wyndham alone, more than half of vehicles targeted are unlocked,” the spokesperson said.
“While our vehicle crime reduction team works tirelessly to detect and investigate thefts, we are urging the community to help us help them. That means always locking your vehicle, even if it’s in a secure driveway, because if there is less opportunity for theft it is less likely to occur.”
Werribee remained the suburb with the most offences, recording 5276, up from 5115 to March last year, and more than 2000 ahead of second placed Hoppers Crossing on 3041.
Close behind in third was Tarneit which rose to 2998, an increase of nearly 600 offences across the year to March.
Point Cook (2376) and Truganina (1435) finished fourth and fifth.
Houses were once again by far the most common location for crime, though the number of recorded offences dropped to 6818, more than 400 less than 7239 to March 2023.
That total was still more than 4000 ahead of streets/lanes/footapths where 2452 offences were recorded, up 96, while driveways/carports, shopping complexes and other retail sites all recorded under a thousand offences each.
Family violence incidents in Wyndham marginally improved, down 0.4 per cent for the year, from 4459 in March 2023 to 4442 in 2024.
However, a Victoria Police spokesperson said this figure was still a cause for concern.
“The number of family violence order breaches continues to remain high as police continue to proactively target perpetrators and hold them to account,” the spokesperson said.
“Our message to those experiencing family violence is clear – when you are ready to come forward, we will be here to listen and support you.”
