By Belinda Nolan
BRIMBANK has become a playground for thieves with thefts and burglaries accounting for more than half of the city’s crimes.
Exclusive month-by-month crime statistics provided to Star by Vic-toria Police reveal there were more than 25,000 crimes committed in Brimbank’s borders between October 2008 and June last year, a whopping 53 per cent of them thefts or burglaries.
Theft from cars was the most common crime, followed by other theft, property damage, residential burglary and assault.
Shoplifting and deception were also high crimes, with almost 3000 offences recorded between the two categories within the 21-month time frame.
Assaults were the most common violent crimes, with 1912 instances, followed by robbery (407) and rape (99).
Rape and sexual assaults were also rampant, with at least one rape and three sex attacks each month rising to as high as 18 and 35 incidents in September 2009, which was also a peak month for abductions.
While overall crime in Brimbank is trending down, the city witnessed a massive spike in July 2009, with a particularly high number of property crimes committed, including burglaries and deception.
Acting Inspector Paul Allinson told Star the peak could be influenced by many factors, including the weather, economic conditions, or number of offenders released from prison.
Insp Allinson said thefts and burglaries were more attractive crimes because they were potentially lucrative.
“By-and-large the motivation is to steal goods and sell them.
“Things like burglary and theft from car are constant.
“One of the biggest factors in the commission of these crimes is that people continue to leave their valuables in their car.
“If people stopped doing this, sooner or later offenders would get the message.”
