By Bridie Byrne
ROBBERIES and violent assaults have soared across Wyndham over the last year.
The latest Victoria Police statistics released last Sunday show crime rose 4 per cent, with vandalism and residential burglaries also climbing.
The figures follow renewed calls from the community for more police numbers to be immediately dispatched to relieve officers they fear are on the brink.
Victoria Police is set to receive a boost of 120 new recruits to help tackle crime in trouble spots next year.
The extra police will be assigned to the Operational Response Unit and the Liquor Licensing Taskforce which can be deployed anywhere in Victoria.
In Wyndham robbery increased by a staggering 51.2 per cent from 40 incidences to 61 while assaults surged 27.6 per cent.
Property damage and residential burglary both spiked about 2 per cent.
Werribee Inspector Bill Weatherly said on the police website officers will pay special attention to the emerging crime issues, in particular to robberies and assaults through targeted operations.
“Police will continue to strive towards making Wyndham a safer place to live,” he said.
Insp Weatherly said members had worked tirelessly to keep crime on a downward trend.
Drug offences dropped 8.1 per cent, other burglaries decreased 27.1 per cent, theft from motor vehicles fell 28 per cent and theft of motor vehicles slid 18.1 per cent.
He said regular policing around hot spots and railway stations had contributed to the reductions.
“Operation WAG, an ongoing operation involving increased police presence during peak periods, continues to impact positively,” Insp Weatherly said.
“A 37.4 per cent increase in the number of handling stolen goods offences shows that police members continue to work pro-actively addressing crime issues.”
Crime has fallen 1.7 per cent in Victoria, causing a total drop of 25.5 per cent since 2000/01.
Chief Commissioner Simon Overland said police officers were working hard to tackle the problem of alcohol related violence but increased enforcement was not the only answer.
Police are also concerned by an increase in the number of robberies across the state where weapons had been produced.
A growing knife wielding culture saw it as the weapon of choice in 752 robberies.
Mr Overland said it appeared that motorists were slowly getting the message about leaving valuables in their cars, as theft from motor car offences fell by 11 per cent.
He said the community needed to continue to work with police to drive down crime.
