Crime in Victoria has soared to a record high.
The most recent data published by the Crime Statistics Agency is deeply troubling: a criminal offence is committed every 50.3 seconds; a car is stolen every 17 minutes; and youth are over-represented in violent attacks.
Crime is increasingly impacting our local community, with criminal incidents up 22.1 per cent in the Yarra Ranges.
Over the last 12 months, 8,236 criminal offences were reported, with Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Chirnside Park, Coldstream and Montrose suffering significant increases.
A deep dive into the data reveals that in the Yarra Ranges, aggravated robbery is up 82 per cent, motor vehicle theft is up 79 per cent, residential non-aggravated burglary is up 43 per cent, and residential aggravated burglary is up a staggering 177 per cent.
Our community has seen the Lilydale Football grandstand set on fire, several bus shelters smashed, the Seville tobacco shop firebombed causing serious damage to adjoining businesses, armed robberies at the Wandin pharmacy and at supermarkets in Mooroolbark and Montrose, and a sharp rise in theft from people’s homes, cars, and farms.
The situation is alarming and comes as the Allan Labor Government cut nearly $50 million from the Victoria Police budget despite a shortfall of over 1100 police officers occurring on their watch.
Our local Yarra Ranges Police do tremendous work in difficult conditions but are let down by government mismanagement and financial incompetence leaving frontline officers overstretched and under-equipped.
Furthermore, the Labor Government’s soft-on-crime policies, including weakening Victoria’s bail laws, have allowed offenders to walk free with no consequences, being bailed only to repeatedly re-offend, leaving victims of crime devastated.
One of the highest priorities of any government should be community safety.
Yet, Labor has been reluctant to ensure laws are strong enough to deter crime, or respect and resource our police properly to tackle the crime crisis and keep residents and small businesses safe.
Under Labor, police have less powers than previously to arrest people for disorderly and antisocial behaviour, and currently 43 police stations are understaffed or closed.
Victorians deserve better than this.
Underpinned by a deep commitment to community safety, the Victorian Liberals will strengthen bail laws if elected in November 2026 as well as strengthen powers to tackle antisocial behaviour and violent protesters.
Only our Break Bail – Face Jail policy will restore penalties for breaching bail, end Labor’s exemption for youth offenders who breach bail, and apply tougher bail rules for burglary and robbery.
There must be a focus to arrest the rise in crime and put community safety first.
