By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong’s crime rate rose by 2.9 per cent in 2022, including a spate of cars stolen during aggravated home burglaries, according to the latest official stats.
After a 11.6 per cent drop the previous year, the rate rise was also fueled by more thefts from cars, assaults including family violence, drug possession, prohibited and controlled weapons and breaches of bail orders.
Reported offences were up in Dandenong (10 per cent), Noble Park (16 per cent) and Springvale (11 per cent).
However, there were fewer in Keysborough and Dandenong North.
Dangerous driving offences were up by 33 per cent, with 41 drivers booked in 2022.
Police have linked the rise to a spate of stolen cars (up 24 per cent in Greater Dandenong) and aggravated home burglaries (up 37 per cent).
Predominantly, young offenders were targeting unlocked homes to steal vehicles, Victoria Police stated.
More than 80 per cent of cars stolen in aggravated burglaries were recovered due to efforts of local police and specialist units such as Air Wing and Dog Squad.
Car thefts were still well below pre-pandemic levels.
Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said “offenders sneaking into homes to steal car keys and overall youth offending” were “key areas of concern”.
“The community can rest assured we are investing significant energy and resources towards preventing and responding to this offending, with dedicated operations in place that have led to thousands of arrests over the past year.”
According to Victoria Police, a 20 per cent increase in dangerous driving offences across the state was partly due to a “proactive” road safety focus.
Since 2021, the anti-hoon Operation Achilles had charged more than 360 hoon drivers with almost 3000 offences and impounded 375 vehicles.
It’s led to a 75 per cent drop in organised hoon meets, according to police intelligence.
Police also laid 17 charges related to hoaxes in Greater Dandenong (up from 7 in 2021).
In a sign of begging being more prevalent, 11 related charges were laid in 2022. There were none recorded in the previous year.
Last year, there was a drop in non-aggravated home burglaries, criminal damage, graffiti, drunk and disorderly and drug trafficking offences.
