Assaults rise as car crime falls

Dandenong has seen an increase in assaults but a decrease in the number of stolen cars.
The most recent Victoria Police statistcs show that there were 1856 assaults recorded in Dandenong from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013, an increase from last year’s 1685 incidents.
A total of 827 of the assault offences were family violence related, compared to 678 from a year earlier.
While family violence assaults continue to rise and remain a priority for police, Inspector Bruce Kitchen said it is heartening to see more people willing to report the incidents.
“It is encouraging to see more family members have the confidence to speak out and report domestic violence,” he said.
“The Greater Dandenong Family Violence Unit will continue to target recidivist offenders and support the victims of family violence.
“What is pleasing is an increase in the numbers of offenders processed for committing assault-related offences.”
Incidents of burglary, property damage and theft from motorcars also remain a problem in the area due to the opportunistic and scattered nature of the offences.
Inspector Kitchen has also warned people to remain vigilant despite a 5.4 per cent decrease in the number of stolen cars over the past 12 months.
“I urge all owners to take simple security measures to prevent their cars from being stolen or broken into,” he said.