The Crime Statistics Agency has released its data for 2024, with a staggering 605,640 criminal offences recorded in Victoria — an increase of 82,237 offences or 15.7 per cent.
In 2024, Victoria Police also made the most arrests since electronic records began in 1993, with 26,519 people arrested a total of 73,539 times.
This equals 201 arrests per day.
In comparison, 65,627 arrests were made by Victoria Police in 2023, and 58,124 arrests a decade ago.
“The overall crime rates in Victoria are totally unacceptable,” Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Bob Hill said.
“The sad reality is that more crime equates to more victims involving members of community, who, in some cases, will be impacted for life.”
Five fastest growing crimes in Victoria in 2024
1. Theft from a motor vehicle (75,731 offences, up by 18,929)
2. Theft from a retail store (38,750 offences, up by 10,512)
3. Theft (other) offences (56,653 offences, up by 10,138)
4. Motor vehicle theft (28,922 offences, up by 8432)
5. Family violence order breaches (61,522 offences, up by 7956)
Theft from a motor vehicle was the most common and fastest growing crime, with over a third of offences relating to number plate theft (27,466 offences).
Theft from a retail store has also reached a record high, which police say is due to cost-of-living pressures, with targeted operations continuing in retail theft hotspots, including in Shepparton.
Family violence order breaches increased as Victoria experienced an all-time high of 104,786 family violence incidents (up 10,620 or 11.3 per cent).
Victoria Police also arrested 8482 family violence offenders 15,487 times.
“While youth crime is playing out on our streets and in our newspapers, the scourge of family violence carried out behind closed doors has hit record levels that see police responding to an incident every five minutes,” Dep Comm Hill said.
“Highly difficult economic times are also having a significant impact on crime, with financial pressures a common cause for family violence, while more people are resorting to stealing from shops to feed and clothe themselves and their family.”
Crimes committed by young offenders are also at their highest since electronic records began.
Crimes committed by children (10 to 17) were up 16.3 per cent with 24,550 incidents, and youth offending (18 to 24) increased by 14.7 per cent with 27,522 incidents.
Repeat child offending is a key reason for these record highs, with Victoria Police processing 7414 child offenders a combined 24,550 times last year.
While there are fewer children committing crime (down by three per cent), those who continue to offend are doing so more frequently (up by 4.9 per cent).
The worst of these youth offenders continue to be targeted by two operations; Operation Trinity for home burglaries and car thefts, and Operation Alliance for youth gangs.
“We completely understand the community concerns around young offenders breaking into homes, stealing cars and putting other people at risk on our roads,” Dep Comm Hill said.
“Be assured that police are arresting the state’s worst young offenders again and again — youth gang members, child car thieves and underage burglars were arrested 3400 times last year as part of Operation Alliance and Operation Trinity.”
Dep Comm Hill said the levels of youth crime continued to be unacceptable, and Victoria Police was welcoming the Victorian Government’s bail changes.
“As a society, we simply cannot tolerate this level of offending. The time has come for Victorians to feel safe in their homes again and for young offenders to be held accountable,” he said.
“Victoria Police have worked with government around the critical need to strengthen bail laws.
“We welcome last week’s announcement and have every confidence that the changes will lead to a reduction in youth offending and crimes such as aggravated burglaries.”
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