Victorian crime at highest rate since 2016, driven by car thefts and young offenders

ABC NEWS (Australia)

As we go to air, Victoria's leaders are debating sweeping changes to the bail act that will aim to curb skyrocketing rates of offending. The problem has been laid bare with the release of new figures showing crime in Victoria is at its highest level since 2016, youth offending is at a record high and police are making a record number of arrests.

Transcript

00:00Scenes like this are playing out across the state, in numbers never seen before.

00:08We have reached crime rates in this state that are completely unacceptable.

00:14The community deserves more.

00:16Last year the crime rate rose by 13%, the highest since 2016, according to new police

00:22data.

00:23Police made over 73,500 arrests, the most since records began in the early 90s.

00:30I would go as far as to say that we've had more arrests in this state in our 172 year

00:36history in the year 2024.

00:39Thefts from motor vehicles was the fastest growing and most common crime, including plate

00:44thefts and stolen power tools.

00:47Theft from shops is also rising, and stealing cars is up a staggering 41%.

00:53The crime is out of control across the whole state, and let me assure you the crime statistics

00:57coming out in three months time will be just as bad because this government failed.

01:01Youth crime is also up, crimes committed by children aged between 10 and 17 have risen

01:07to their highest levels since 1993.

01:11I think with a lot of these young people they're looking for connection, they're looking for

01:14belonging and they're finding it in the wrong places.

01:16We need to make sure we wrap around these young people, connect them with family, with

01:20community.

01:21Police say new bail laws introduced to Parliament this week that crack down on repeat offenders

01:27are critical to turning the numbs around.

01:30But they say until they're implemented in full, the list of victims of crime will continue

01:36to grow.

01:37Victoria Police is of the view that some of the crime rates could have been well and truly

01:40mitigated should this legislation come earlier.

01:43We've worked as hard as we can to bring these laws before the Parliament as soon as we can,

01:48and we won't be leaving the Parliament until they are passed.

01:51If passed, some of the reforms will come into effect immediately.

01:55Their impact will be keenly awaited.

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