Latest figures show crime is on the move

THIEVES seem to be focusing more on vehicles and less on homes in Greater Dandenong, according to the latest Victoria Police crime statistics.
In the year up to September 2014, reported burglaries dipped by more than 20 per cent but reported stolen cars soared by 25 per cent.
Car thefts were particularly on the rise in Keysborough and Noble Park.
Most of the stolen vehicles had been left unlocked by their owners and parked in residential areas.
Inspector Bruce Kitchen of Greater Dandenong police said the burglary drop-off was the result of a concerted blitz on recidivist offenders as well as police warning nearby residents after a burglary has occurred.
He said stolen number plates was looming as another large concern. A simple deterrent is to install one-way security screws into the plates.
Police were also taking part in a boarding-house accord to tackle a 11 per cent rise in assaults excluding family violence.
Inspector Kitchen said most of these assaults involved people known to each other.
Violence among drug and alcohol-effected boarding-house tenants would be covered under the accord – modelled on a similar project involving liquor outlets in Dandenong.
On the other hand, police targetting recidivist offenders seemed to curtail reported family violence.
He warned of a breath-testing and automatic number-plate detection blitz in the upcoming holiday season, despite an 11 per cent drop in road casualties.
“This strategy is to keep drug and alcohol affected or unlicenced drivers off our roads.
“If people get pulled over three or four times a day, they should remember it’s for their and everyone else’s safety.”
– Cam Lucadou-Wells