By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
GREATER Dandenong has been listed in the top five areas for crime in the state, according to the most recent crime statistics.
The latest data, released by the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) last month, shows there were 12,351 offences recorded in the Greater Dandenong region from October 2014 to September 2015, up 15.4 per cent from a year earlier when 10,706 offences were reported.
Greater Dandenong has the fifth highest offence rate of all Local Government Areas, pipped only by Melbourne, Latrobe, Horsham and Yarra.
“The Southern Metro police region has seen an increase of 9.5 per cent in the past year, driven by statistically significant increases in the Cardinia, Casey and Greater Dandenong Local Government Areas,” CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley said.
In Greater Dandenong there were 1011 drug use and possession offences in 2015 compared to 882 a year earlier, 160 robbery offences compared to 129, and 5856 reported thefts compared to 4456 in the year previous.
But despite these bumps, in the same period Greater Dandenong saw a decrease of assault and related offences from 1599 to 1569, in sexual offences from 430 to 381, and in stalking offences from 480 to 400.
Across the state there was a six per cent increase for recorded offences compared to the previous year, while victim reports made to police also lifted by 2.5 per cent.
“Weapons and explosives offences and drug use and possession offences have again seen statistically significant increases this quarter,” Ms Dowsley said.
The CSA, which took over responsibilities from Victoria Police last year, is responsible for processing, analysing and releasing Victoria Police crime statistics every three months.
