Reported assaults in Wyndham increased by more than 50 per cent in the past year following more attacks on police, protective services officers and shopping centre security guards.
Latest crime statistics released last week show 787 reports of assaults (excluding family violence) were made in Wyndham between October 2012, and September this year – up almost 58 per cent from the previous year.
Inspector Damien Christensen said the rise could be partly attributed to attacks at Port Phillip Prison, which is in the Wyndham police service area, and assaults on police. “Assaults have gone up but we have found that they relate to the prison, attacks on police and [protective services officers], increases in road rage and attacks on loss-prevention officers in stores,” he said.
Inspector Christensen said police and PSOs would assess how they worked with drink and drug-affected people and would run safety operations in shopping centres.
Robberies increased in the past year, up 15.1 per cent to 84 offences.
Inspector Christensen said while many of the robberies were ‘‘low-level’’crimes, such as a young person stealing a mobile phone, there had been several armed robberies in the past year.
There was an attempted armed robbery at a fast food store in Derrimut Road, Hoppers Crossing, on November 26.
Two men, including one carrying a shotgun, approached the store’s delivery driver about 4.30 am.
It was the second attempted armed robbery at the store this year.
In August, two masked men approached a delivery driver and stole a quantity of cash before fleeing the store.
The statistics revealed a drop in residential burglaries and theft from and of motor vehicles.
Total crime fell 5.5 per cent, with 12,080 reports made to police, down from 12,788 between October 2011, and September 2012.
“Our members have worked very hard at identifying offenders and taking them to court,” Inspector Christensen said. “We are trying to be proactive.”
