THE latest round of crime numbers released by the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) made for encouraging reading within the walls of Mansfield police station.

While CSA reports an increase in the number of criminal incidents in Mansfield Shire this year, Mansfield police attribute this to positive behavioural change rather than a trend towards crime and a sign that their pro-intervention, pro-reporting approach to tackling crime in the shire is paying off.

“The education piece we're doing within the community is working,” said Acting Senior Sergeant, Melanie Walker.

“People are feeling more encouraged and confident to report.

“And we are putting offenders before the court.”

372 crimes were reported in Mansfield 2024 up from 295 in 2023, a 26.1 per cent increase.

Mansfield township saw the largest increase in reported crime incidents, going from 160 in 2023 to 210 in 2024.

In Bonnie Doon incidents rose from 27 last year to 44, Merrijig went from 10 to 19, Jamieson from 13 to 18, and Goughs Bay rose from 10 to 15.

The increased number of criminal incidents matched statewide trends.

552,228 criminal offences were recorded in Victoria in the 2024 according to a statement made by Victoria Police, a year on year increase of 46,014 offences or 9.1 per cent.

Acting Senior Sergeant Walker was pleased to see Mansfield Shire remains well below the state crime average, with a criminal incident rate per 100,000 population of 3472.2 compared with the Victorian rate of 5885.5.

Amongst the specific crimes that account for the spike in 2024, property damage is reported to have increased from 49 in 2023 to 84 in 2024.

This increase, Acting Senior Sergeant Walker said, can be attributed to youth groups taking part in a series of minor crimes such as graffiti.

2023’s staggering increase in obtaining benefit by deception proved to be an outlier rather than a trend, dropping from 99 in 2023 to 19 in 2024.

And incidents of family violence in Mansfield Shire have increased to a five year high, after 136 incidents were reported in 2024 from 84 in 2023, a 61.9 per cent rise.

While Acting Senior Sergeant would like to see these numbers go down in future years, she sees signs of encouragement.

“It shows that people are reporting family violence, it's being actioned, it's being managed, the offenders are being held to account,” she said.

“In years gone by it wasn't reported."

The statistical increase in family violence can partly be attributed to the link between initial crimes such as assault and harassment to the secondary offence of breaching intervention orders.

When family violence convictions increase, so too do convictions for breaches of intervention orders.

In 2024, the increase in family violence is mirrored through the state.

“Family incidents and assaults have reached the highest levels in a decade, with a notable rise in aggravated assaults on females and breaches of intervention orders,” said CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley.

Chris Gilbert, Acting Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations, addressed the report in a statement released 26 September.

“Around a quarter of all crime can be directly attributed to the scourge of family violence, with Victoria Police called out to a family violence incident every five minutes,” said Gilbert.

Acting Senior Sergeant Walker encouraged residents to remain vigilant and continue reporting suspicious activity to counter the threat of opportunistic crime.

“We've got a new offending base; they don't care that you're home and they will take that element of risk," she said.

“So it's the old message to the community: secure it.

“Tell us if you see something.

“A lot of our information comes from the community.

“People are attuned to what’s sort of not quite right in their neighbourhood.

“People acting suspiciously or hanging around.

“We've got a unit, we can check them out then and there.

“Ring triple zero; it's also the quickest way to get a message to our units.”