By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
The Geelong region has again suffered double-digit increases in crime, new figures reveal.
Geelong crimes were up 17.9 per cent and Surf Coast rates increased 22.3 per cent, according to the Crime Statistics Agency.
Theft-related offences fuelled most of the increases, the statistics showed.
The second successive quarter of double-digit increases followed Geelong recording a 12.7 per cent increase in March.
The number of offences across Geelong rose from 21,158 to 22,400, with the offence rate per 100,000 people up from 9304.7 to 9676.6.
Offences in Surf Coast rose from 1498 to 1555 with the offence rate per 100,000 people rising from 5121 to 5300.5.
Crime statewide was up 12.4 per cent on the same period last year with an offence rate of 8575.9 per 100,000.
New Police Minister and Bellarine MP Lisa Neville admitted that Victoria faced “significant law and order challenges”.
“These statistics clearly show Victoria Police are targeting more crime, making more arrests and charging more offenders to protect the Victorian community,” Ms Neville said.
“We face a number of complex law and order challenges – including the scourge of family violence, the need to crack down on gangs and gun crime.
“This Government continues to give Victoria Police the people, technology and infrastructure they need to keep our community safe, now and well into the future.”
But South Barwon MP Andrew Katos said the Government was now seeing the effects of cuts to the number of frontline police in the Geelong region.
“There have been no additional recruits and we have a soft on crime approach from Daniel Andrews and his new police minister,” he said.
“It’s a sorry picture and is a reflection of weakening the justice system and our law enforcement abilities.
“The lack of investment in police resources is starting to bite.”
Mr Katos said Ms Neville’s visit to Victoria’s police academy as the figures were released on Thursday was a “cynical” attempt to disguise the seriousness of the state’s crime rates.
“Does she think people are silly that by doing a media opportunity at the academy we will forget the statistics?
“Daniel Andrews did the same thing three months ago when the last batch of bad figures came out.
“Touring the academy once every three months is not going to fix the problems.”
