THEFT from motor vehicles, burglaries, and car theft have fuelled a soaring crime rate in the Mornington Peninsula Shire – up 28.3 per cent in 2024, according to the latest official Crime Statistics Agency data.
Crime rose across most suburbs and most criminal categories including 1297 incidents of theft from motor vehicle offences (up 40 per cent) and 1330 burglary incidents (up 34 per cent), among the big movers in the year ending December last year.
Also up were family violence order breaches (762 offences, up 28 per cent), assaults (13 per cent), residential non-aggravated burglaries (32 per cent), other theft (29 per cent), and criminal damage (three per cent). There were also 362 vehicles reported stolen in 2024 – up 45 per cent.
Theft from retail shops also soared 28 per cent, with 658 incidents recorded.
Other significant rises were sexual offences (up 26 per cent), stalking (28 per cent) and drug use and possession (18 per cent). Houses were the most common locations for recorded offences, with a 28 per cent increase, up from 1993 to 2806 incidents. There were also 37 incidents of assault police, emergency services or other authorised officer.
Across the shire’s suburbs, criminal offences were up in Mornington (up five per cent), Rosebud (34 per cent), Dromana (28 per cent), and Somerville (26 per cent). Child offenders aged 10-17 were however down from 633 to 590 offenders. The highest rise was in the 30–34-year-old category (up 23 per cent).
Victoria Police deputy-commissioner Bob Hill said he welcomed the government’s bail changes, which he believed would lead to a reduction in youth offending and crimes such as aggravated burglaries.
“We completely understand the community’s concerns around young offenders breaking into homes, stealing cars, and putting other people at risk on our roads,” he said. “Be assured that police are arresting the state’s worst young offenders again and again – youth gang members, child car thieves and underage burglars were arrested 3400 times last year as part of Operation Alliance and Operation Trinity.” Dep Comm Hill added technology was playing a part in rising crime, particularly car thefts as offenders used electronic devices to exploit vehicle security systems and steal cars.
Among the victims of crime on the peninsula was a Balnarring resident who tried to chase two intruders who broke into his family garage in early March. “I ran outside but they took off pretty quick”, the resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said, after he heard “someone rustling around outside”. Fortunately, nothing was stolen but the resident said one of the trays on their ute was down while the back of the garage was open, noting that four other cars in the street had been targeted on the same day. “They’ve been so much of it recently; it’s in the back of your mind all the time.”
Shadow Police Minister David Southwick said crime had skyrocketed under the Premier Jacinta Allan’s watch. “Crime is surging – and Victorians are paying the price. A 19 per cent rise in crime since she took office is a damning indictment of Labor’s failure to keep our communities safe,” he said.
First published in the Mornington News – 25 March 2025
