Less than 1% of the Victorian population is responsible for almost half of all offending in the state, police say, as the crime rate continues to climb. New data from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) shows 638,640 criminal offences were recorded in the 2024-25 financial year, a 15.7% increase year-on-year. When adjusted for population, the crime rate rose 13.8% to 8,998.9 per 100,000 people.
The number of criminal incidents also increased by 18.3% to 483,583, the highest figure since reporting began in 2004-05. Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said a cohort of repeat offenders continued to drive the statistics, with 5,400 individuals charged 10 times or more responsible for 40% of all crime. This group represents just 0.078% of the state's population and includes 1,128 children arrested a combined 7,118 times.
Theft remains the fastest-growing and most common crime, particularly theft from cars, which rose 39.4% to 86,351 offences. Number plates were the most commonly stolen item, accounting for nearly 40% of vehicle thefts. Motor vehicle theft surged 42.1% to 33,018 offences, the highest since 2002, while retail theft increased 27.6% to 41,667 offences. Family violence incidents also reached a record high of 106,427, up 7.7%.
Hill attributed the rise to a 'perfect storm' of cost-of-living pressures, technological developments, organised crime, and the lingering effects of Covid-19 on mental health and community connection. Police have set an ambitious target to reduce serious and violent crime by 5% annually, with a new crime prevention plan due in mid-October from Chief Commissioner Mike Bush, who previously reduced offending in New Zealand by 20%.
Police Minister Anthony Carbines said new 'tough' bail laws, effective from March, are already having an impact, with bail refusals up 26% for young people and 46% for adults. However, opposition leader Brad Battin described the statistics as a 'complete failure' by the Allan government, noting that every release sets new unwanted records.
