Coastal assaults up 30 per cent

Alex de Vos
An increase in crime along the Surf Coast has prompted a crackdown on licensed venues, police have warned.
Police statistics for the year to the end of February show a 30 per cent increase in overall crime.
Street assaults led the rise, followed by property damage, residential burglaries and theft from motor cars, according to the data.
Acting Inspector Pat Whelan said the “majority” of street assaults were related to licensed venues.
“We’re cracking down on licensed venues this year and working closely with them to promote a healthy liquor accord,” Insp Whelan said.
“But most of them do the right thing.”
Insp Whelan said crime increased over summer when the Surf Coast’s population almost tripled.
“We have a pretty low base during the rest of the year,” he said.
“It’s really quiet over winter and then during summer there’s a spike in the number of offences.”
Insp Whelan said police were taking action to reduce crime along the coast.
“We’ve been running a number of campaigns including leaflet drops to target theft from motor cars,” he said.
“Overall, we’re pretty happy – we want people to come down and enjoy the coast but do the right thing.”
Surf Coast and Community Ratepayers Association president Spencer Leighton said the police statistics did not reflect the “full picture” of crime on the coast.
“I don’t think they even touch the surface,” he said.
“Most of the crime is not reported because there’s no decent reporting system.
“We’re encouraged to call triple 0 but we don’t want to tie up the emergency services.”
Mr Leighton urged authorities to ban public drunkenness.
“These drunken louts own the night and we own the day – there is no police coverage at night,” he said.
“They come out of the pub and they throw things at houses – they’re having fun.
“Police need to bite the bullet and arrest people for being drunk in public.”
The police crackdown follows a report in last week’s Independent of a 1400 per cent increase in detected liquor licensing breaches at venues in Geelong and the Surf Coast.
Police had caught 42 venues breaching their licences last summer compared to three at the same time the previous year.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said the surge in licensing breaches proved rogue licensees were responsible for “alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour and violence”.