By Violet Li
Casey has seen a surge in burglaries, thefts and property damage reports in the year to September 2023, according to the latest Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) figures.
The number of property damages recorded has risen by almost 10 per cent to 1820, which exceeded the pre-pandemic level of 1687 cases in 2019.
There were a total of 1630 burglaries in Casey over the past year, a jump of 26 per cent from 1298.
Residential aggravated burglaries have soared by 49 per cent to 427.
Non-aggravated residential burglaries have increased by 21 per cent to 768.
A total of 7642 thefts have been recorded, showing an increase of 44 per cent compared with the previous year and trending back towards the pre-pandemic level.
Motor vehicle thefts have surged by 68 per cent from 645 to 1081.
The number of offences related to stealing from a motor vehicle is 24 per cent above the 2022 level to 2577.
In Cranbourne, a significant increase in thefts by 30 per cent has been noted with 1002 offences recorded.
In Berwick, the number of thefts recorded has been 885, which represented a 24.8 per cent jump compared to the previous year.
Clyde North has recorded a soar in thefts by 52 per cent to 573.
There were 24,881 home burglaries across Victoria in the twelve months to September 2023 – 4068 more than the year before. Of the 24,881, 12.5 per cent were attempts only.
According to Victoria Police, aggravated residential burglaries, particularly those involving young offenders targeting unlocked properties with the intention of finding keys and stealing cars, are a significant concern for police.
Victoria Police’s deputy commissioner Neil Paterson said one of the most significant concerns for police heading into summer was property crime, specifically home burglaries.
“Summer is traditionally the peak season for home burglaries and as such, we’re urging Victorians to take some simple steps to help stop opportunistic thieves,” he said.
“Our members will continue to patrol known hotspots across Melbourne every evening until dawn as part of Operation Trinity, however, the community also has a strong role to play.
“This summer, please be extra conscious of unlocked doors and windows. Offenders are telling us across the interview table that they will try multiple homes until they find one where they can simply walk through the door or climb through an open window.”
In Casey, there were a total of 22,519 criminal offences recorded in the year to September 2023, which was a 8.9 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
The number of drug possession has been down from 1123 to 953 – a decrease of 15 per cent.
