THE latest crime figures, released on Thursday this week, by the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA), show that the number of recorded offences in South Gippsland have risen by 20.3 per cent for the year ending June 30, 2024.

By comparison, the number of offences statewide increased 9.1 per cent to 552,228.

Of equal concern however is the fact that South Gippsland can no longer claim to be one of the safest places to live in the state with the rate of offences per 100,000 climbing from 4277.1 in 2015, against a state average that year of 7833.7, to be much closer to the state average now at 7683.3 per 100,000 in 2024 (state average 7925).

It has prompted Gippsland South MP Danny O’Brien to weigh in saying South Gippsland Shire had recorded the highest 10-year growth in crime in the state.

He said that while it was extremely concerning the number of recorded offences had risen 20.3 per cent in the past year, crime had escalated a whopping 93.3 per cent in South Gippsland, or almost double, in the past decade.

By comparison, he said the number of offences recorded in the Wellington Shire rose 11 per cent in the past year but only 18.9 per cent in the past 10 years.

“We've seen a significant increase in recent months of juvenile offences, but still very serious crime and that has concerned many people across the South Gippsland area,” Mr O’Brien said.

“It highlights the challenges we're facing in our local communities, and I call on the State Government to do more to support police in our region, as well as stopping the revolving door of bail that repeatedly sees offenders released only to offend again.”

Mr O’Brien recently launched a petition highlighting the rising crime rate in Gippsland and the lack of a police presence, calling on the Government to “provide more funding and resources to boost police presence and deter crime in Gippsland”.

The Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) releases the Victorian crime statistics for the year ending June 30 around AFL Grand Final Day each year but the comparison in crime rates across Gippsland isn’t a premiership you want to win.

• South Gippsland 1978 offences (2023) to 2379, up 20.3%, crime rate 7683.8
• Bass Coast 2792 to 3321 offences, up 18.9%, crime rate 7660.1
• Baw Baw 4376 to 4885, up 11.6%, crime rate 7980.1
• East Gippsland 5040 to 5626, up 11.6%, crime rate 11,392.3
• Latrobe City 11,672 to 12,556, up 7.6%, crime rate 15,979.7
• Wellington 4494 to 4987, up 11%, crime rate 10,732.

The number of offences recorded in Bass Coast for the year ending June 30, 2024 rose by 18.9% from 2792 offences to 3321.

However, the crime rate (per 100,000), at 7660.1, was well below the crime rate in 2016 of 9060.5 which was well above the state average at the time of 8672.3. Bass Coast’s crime rate is now below the state average.

The top 5 offence categories in Bass Coast are:

• Breach family violence order 559 offences
• Criminal damage 320 offences
• Other theft 216 offences
• Steal from motor vehicle 192
• Common assault 164

The top 5 offence categories in South Gippsland are:

• Breach of family violence order 369
• Breach of bail conditions 244
• Criminal damage 200
• Other theft 186
• Sexual offences 120

The total number of ‘Family Incidents’ is up in both South Gippsland (12.3%) from 514 incidents to 577 and Bass Coast (10.1%) from 784 incidents to 863 for the year ending June 30, 2024.

CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley said the increase in family incidents was a significant problem across the state.

“Family incidents and assaults have reached the highest levels in a decade, with a notable rise in aggravated assaults on females and breaches of intervention orders, often accompanied by criminal damage,” Ms Dowsley said.

Family incidents increased by 6.1% in the last 12 months, with 98,816 incidents recorded across Victoria. The rate also increased, up 3.8% or 1418.1 incidents per 100,000 Victorians.

In other state figures, property and deception offences had the largest increase in the last 12 months, up 14.4% or 39,262 to 311,963 offences but they remain below the record peak in offences of 319,928 in 2016. The main drivers of the increase, according to the CSA were ‘theft’ up 29,863 to 192,534 offences and ‘steal from a motor vehicle’ up 9,103 to 61,959 offences in the last 12 months.

The number of criminal incidents increased, up 10.7% statewide or 39,495 to 410,108 incidents. The rate also increased, up 8.2% to 5885.5 per 100,000 Victorians. Despite recent increases in property and deception offences in the last year, these figures remain below pre-COVID levels.

Alleged offender incidents increased 11.8% to 175,997 in the last 12 months, as did the rate up 9.2% to 2855.7 per 100,000. Theft offences increased by 27.2% or 7688 to 36,005 alleged offender incidents. Specifically, ‘steal from a retail store’ incidents increased 37.0% or 4120 to 15,253 alleged offender incidents.

The victimisation rate increased by 8.2% to 3,416.3 reports per 100,000 Victorians. The number of person-related victim reports was up 10.6% to 238,054 and organisation reports was up 20.9% to 93,677. The rise in person victim reports (up 17.7% to 102,441) was primarily driven by theft.

CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley said that “there has been a 14% increase in property and deception offences recorded in the last 12 months, driven by theft, burglary/break and enter and property damage”.

The number of youth offences increased from 19,345 to 23,236 in the 10 years to 17 years group, with the 13-17 age group contributing the bulk of the increase.

The crime rate per 100,000 also increased significantly in the 15-17 age group up from 5731.3 in 2023 to 7026.8 (15 years), 5366.2 to 6851.9 (16), and 5255 to 5939.7 (17).