By ALESHA CAPONE
ROBBERIES and drug offences are on the rise in Brimbank according to the latest crime statistics released by Victoria Police.
However, the figures also showed several other types of offences committed in the municipality have fallen – or remained steady – between 1 October 2012 and 30 September this year, compared to the previous 12 months.
This quarter, there were more than 300 robberies recorded in Brimbank, compared to 247 in the prior period.
The rise of 24 per cent in robberies was the area’s biggest increase for any particular crime, followed by a 15 per cent increase in drug offences.
Drug felonies in Brimbank have reached almost 1250 crimes compared to below 1080 in 2011-’12.
Brimbank Police Inspector Chris Gilbert said the addition of PSOs to patrol most train stations in the area had helped enhance safety.
“At the same time we’ve experienced a rise in robberies, often these are street robberies which yield very little gain for the perpetrators,” he said.
“Recent arrests and the identification of a number of other suspects provide confidence we will stem this rise and influence further reductions.”
Brimbank’s total crime rate has risen by seven per cent to more than 19,100 individual crimes.
Crimes against the person have increased five per cent to 2440 and crime against property has gone up to more than 12,670 offences.
“Number plate and petrol theft account for a significant portion of property crimes,” Mr Gilbert said.
Assaults increased three per cent to more than 1800 individual attacks, but this count fell to just over 945 when family violence incidents were taken out of the equation.
Reflecting the work Brimbank police have put into cutting crime rates, reductions have been recorded in five kinds of illegal activity.
Thefts from motor vehicles have dropped 10 per cent and thefts of motor vehicles have fallen eight per cent.
Property damage has lessened seven per cent, residential burglaries by three per cent and other burglaries by one per cent.
