By Cam Lucadou-Wells and Brendan Rees
Covid-related fines have featured for the first time in Greater Dandenong’s latest official crime statistics.
In the year up to 30 June 2020, there were 344 ‘public health and safety breaches’ – which were largely breaches of Chief Health Officer Covid restrictions.
That equated to about 100 infringements a month since the fines of up to $1652 were first issued on 17 March.
Statewide, there were more than 6000 Covid infringements in the first three-and-a-half months, according to Crime Statistics Agency figures.
In June, Victoria Police had denied targeting its Covid-19-related Operation Sentinel on Greater Dandenong, despite the council area recording the second-highest fines in the state.
Meanwhile, according to the crime stats, family violence order breaches were up 52 per cent to 1494 for the year – a trend reflected across Victoria.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent attributed the rise to Operation Ribbon, which used specialist detectives to target family violence during the Covid lockdowns.
“We were concerned with some of these restrictions that we may see increased violence in the home with people who are required to work at home or remain at home.
“What we had seen more of is first time reporting.
“That may well be and is likely to be as a result of pressure on people whether they’re not working, stuck at home, financial stress or other factors that may exist.”
Overall, there were 18,940 criminal offences in Greater Dandenong – up by 0.8 per cent on a per capita basis.
They included 1680 assaults – nearly five a day, 2376 thefts from motor vehicles – nearly seven a day, and 719 residential burglaries, including 147 that were aggravated.
On the rise were sex offences (up 17 per cent), drug possession offences (up 8 per cent), and theft from retail (up 8 per cent).
Bike stealing meanwhile rose 56 per cent. There were 152 bikes and 794 motor vehicles stolen in the 12 month period.
Residential burglaries, robberies (down 19 per cent), assaults (down 5 per cent) and car thefts (down 9 per cent) were significantly reduced.
Dandenong remains clearly the most crime-hit suburb – with 7272 offences (down 2 per cent).
Next is Springvale with 2843 offences (up 12 per cent), Noble Park (2677, down 2 per cent), Keysborough (2017, up 13 per cent) and Dandenong North (1627, up 19 per cent).
