THE Alpine Shire’s crime rate remained steady throughout the 2024 calendar year, recording the exact same number of incidents as the year prior.
According to the latest figures from the Crime Statistics Agency for the 2024 calendar year, 321 criminal incidents were recorded in the shire at a rate well below the state average.
Criminal damage was still the most common type of offence in the shire despite a slight decline from 2023, while breach of family violence order (up 10), sexual offences (up 11) and theft (up two) all recorded increases in the shire’s top incidents.
Alpine’s crime rate for incidents per 100,000 people remains as one of the lowest in the state, sitting at 2433 incidents, well below the state average of 6550.
In the last quarter, the shire had the lowest criminal incident rate in the state, but was overtaken by the Golden Plains LGA in the CSA’s latest figures.
Total offences in the area dropped by 105 to see a 20 per cent decrease from 2023.
Of the 416 offences in total, only theft saw an increase in figures from 2023 in the year’s top five type of offences, with two more incidents of theft occurring in 2024.
A rare increase in crime was observed in the total amount of family violence incidents which rose 26.7 per cent from last year.
For the 147 total incidents, 117 involved a female affected family member and incidents most commonly occurred between people aged between 35 and 44.
Statewide, theft from motor vehicles and offending among youths aged between 10 and 17 reached historic peaks.
Police intelligence showing as many as one in five vehicles are being stolen using electronic devices capable of programming or mimicking keys.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said the overall crime rates statewide were “unacceptable”.
“The sad reality is that more crime equates to more victims involving members of community, who in some cases, will be impacted for life,” he said.
“As a society, we simply cannot tolerate this level of offending.”
Deputy Commissioner Hill said police have worked with the State Government around the “critical” need to strengthen bail laws in the state, with new legislation passing parliament on Thursday.
“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,” he said.
In surrounding LGAs, Strathbogie Shire saw a decade high 564 criminal incidents recorded, a 36.4 per cent increase on 2023’s figure of 412.
Wangaratta’s crime rate remained relatively steady, with a 1.7 per cent increase driven by shoplifting and drug offences.
Wodonga saw a 15.1 per cent surge in crime at a rate of 7959/100,000 people, in large part driven by thefts from motor vehicle.
Indigo Shire saw a slight rise of 6.9 per cent in criminal incidents driven by criminal damage and non-residential non-aggravated burglary.
Crime spirals out of control: MP
NATIONALS' state MP for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, has condemned the Victorian Government for failing to keep regional Victorians safe following the release of last week's "alarming" crime statistics.
Mr McCurdy said new data from the Crime Statistics Agency paints a grim picture, showing crime overall in Victoria has jumped by 19 per cent since Jacinta Allan became Premier.
He condemned her failure to tackle crime, warning that regional Victorians are being left exposed.
“Most concerning is the alarming rise in youth crime, which has reached its highest level since electronic records began in 1993," he said.
“Offences committed by individuals aged 17 and under have increased by 16 per cent since the Premier took office, while youth offending has risen by 33 per cent since 2015 — another indictment of Labor’s decade-long failure on law and order.
“Our local police officers are doing their best under increasingly difficult circumstances, yet they are being let down by Labor's soft-on-crime policies.
"The Nationals stand ready to implement policies that put victims first, toughen bail laws, and restore law and order."