CRIME has jumped by more than 20 per cent in the City of Hobsons Bay over the past year while robbery reports have dropped.
Victoria police statistics for the 2012 calendar year show 6880 crimes were committed in 2012, a 22.5 per cent increase from 2011.
Inspector Richard Paterson said the quarterly crime statistics reflect an overall increase, and this was most evident in the areas of assaults, vehicle crime, property damage and burglaries.
Almost 400 people experienced theft of a motor vehicle with 386 recorded incidents recorded, a comparative 53.2 per cent jump from 2011.
Meanwhile 1080 people in Hobsons Bay reported theft from a motor vehicle – a 26 per cent increase.
Robbery was the only crime in Hobsons Bay to experience a 26 per cent decrease in 2012 from 54 incidents recorded compared to 73 in 2011.
Burglary (other) nearly experienced a 50 per cent increase with 250 incidents recorded compared to 167 during the previous year.
Inspector Paterson said police responded to the spike in burglaries during November and December by creating a Crime Impact Team to address crime that occurs in sizeable numbers.
“A highly visible police presence around the Altona beach foreshore area and the impact of the PSOs at Laverton and Newport railway stations should influence crime in these community locations,” he said.
Crime against property experienced a 29.4 per cent increase in 2012 with 5143 offences recorded.
There were 922 incidents of property damage, a 30.6 per cent jump from the 706 incidents recorded in 2011.
Assaults experienced a 14.6 per cent increase with 598 recorded offences, while drug offences recorded a 3.7 per cent increase in 2012.
Insp Paterson said family violence reports contributed to the increase in assaults.
“We have a dedicated team focused on family violence and this unit assists investigators and liaises with affected families to provide support, advice and enact strategies to prevent reoccurrences,” he said.
Insp Paterson said road policing continues to be a priority within Hobsons Bay.
According to the road policing statistics, the number of total injuries increased from 218 in 2011 to 247 in 2012, a 13.3 per cent jump.
“Nearly half of all collisions in Hobsons Bay involve either vehicles travelling in the same direction or colliding at intersections,” Insp Paterson said.
