By Oliver Winn
Despite crime in the Yarra Ranges increasing in the past year, it still falls well below the Victorian average.
According to the Crime Statistics Agency’s (CSA) report for 2023 to 2024, the total number of criminal incidents increased by 19 per cent in the Yarra Ranges from 2023 to 2024.
2024 saw 5,749 criminal incidents in the Yarra Ranges – up from 4,818 the year before.
But Yarra Ranges’ criminal incident rate of 3.6 per cent per 100,000 people is lower than the Victorian average of 6.5 per cent, meaning the Yarra Ranges remains a local government area (LGA) with relatively low rates of crime.
Some trends in the Yarra Ranges reflected broader trends seen across the state, with theft offences being the main drivers for the increase in crime.
CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said “the rate of theft offences being recorded per 100,000 Victorians has exceeded historical peaks, driven by record-high numbers of steal from motor vehicle, steal from retail store and motor vehicle theft offences recorded by Victoria Police in 2024.”.
“These increasingly prevalent theft offences can be opportunistic in nature and may be linked to cost of living pressures, especially for increases in shoplifting where increases are linked to adult offenders often in their 30s. Younger alleged offenders tend to be involved in theft offences involving motor vehicles.” Ms Dowsley said.
Lilydale was the suburb with the highest amount of criminal incidents accounting for 20 per cent of crime across the LGA.
Youth offenders aged 10 to 17 also overtook those aged 45 and over with 655 offenders, making up for 22 per cent of all offenders.
Victorian Police deputy commissioner regional operations Bob Hill said “We completely understand the community concerns around young offenders breaking into homes, stealing cars, and putting other people at risk on our roads.”
“Highly difficult economic times are also having a significant impact on crime, with financial pressures a common cause for family violence, while more people are resorting to stealing from shops to feed and clothe themselves and their family,” Mr Hill said.
“Technology is also playing a part in rising crime, with vehicle thefts sharply increasing as offenders use electronic devices to exploit vehicle security systems and steal cars.”
In the Yarra Ranges theft from a motor vehicle in 2023 jumped from 357 to 623 in 2024.
One in five vehicles are being stolen with electronic devices capable of programming and mimicking keys, with police urging vehicle owners to look at a range of preventative measures to help deter thieves, including an on board diagnostic port lock which prevents an offender connecting a reprogramming device to your vehicle.
