Crime stats: Offending down over 12 months but up over past five years

The rate of criminal offending in Victoria has fallen in the past 12 months, with double digit falls in burglaries and thefts.

The state’s crime rate has dropped by 9.9 per cent but the rate has actually increased by 7.2 per cent over the past five years, with crimes against the person including assaults, sex offences and robberies all up.

Police Minister Lisa Neville said crime overall, is on a downward trend.

Shadow Police Minister Ed O’Donohue told Neil Mitchell its alarming that the most serious crimes have increased.

“We’re up about 1200 aggravated burglaries on a three-year window,” Mr O’Donohue said.

“We’ve had very significant increase in the crimes that keep people awake.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp broke down some of the terms for Neil Mitchell.

Aggravated burglary: Where someone breaks in and someone is home or its reasonably expected someone would be there (like in the middle of the night)

There was 3600 aggravated burglaries last year, down 11 per cent from the previous calendar year.

Home invasion: Where two or more people break in with a weapon, where a confrontation ensues

“We don’t shy away from the fact that our numbers were going up,” Mr Crisp said.

But he insists the numbers show Victoria Police have caught the majority of offenders responsible.

Click PLAY below to hear from Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp