Victoria’s recorded crime rate has fallen for the first time since 2022, although shoplifting and breaches of bail and other orders have risen sharply, according to the latest figures from the Crime Statistics Agency.
The rate of recorded offences fell by 3.8 per cent to 8,680 per 100,000 Victorians in the 12 months to June 30. The overall number of recorded offences dropped by 2.1 per cent to 624,624.
CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said property crime had declined overall, despite a rise in shoplifting, with reductions in burglary and other theft offences driving the fall.
Shoplifting offences increased by 2.7 per cent over the year, with grocery items recording the largest increase among the goods reported stolen. However, the victimisation rate for theft fell by 7.6 per cent to 3,665 reports per 100,000 Victorians.
Reports involving person-related victims also decreased, falling by 6 per cent to 263,746.
The figures come as the Labor state government faces criticism over its handling of crime, particularly offences involving young people, ahead of the November state election.
Premier Ben Carroll said the figures showed crime was moving in a “new direction”, while acknowledging that levels remained “too high” and that more work was required.
“We are delivering more police, tougher laws, stronger powers and serious consequences,” he said.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has made crime a key issue in the lead-up to the election, promising to introduce what she described as “genuine” Adult Crime, Adult Time laws.
Her proposals also include a one-strike bail rule for serious offences uplifted to the County Court, as well as extending breach of bail laws to youth offenders by removing the existing youth exemption.
Breaches of orders and bail conditions recorded the sharpest increase, rising from 5,473 to 17,250 offences over the 12-month period. The increase followed the introduction of new bail reforms last year.
Alleged offender incidents rose by 6.6 per cent to 195,572, referring to cases in which police linked one or more offences to a person or organisation.
Within that total, theft-related incidents increased by 4.3 per cent to 44,544. Shoplifting accounted for 21,306 alleged offender incidents, a rise of 9.3 per cent.
