By Cam Lucadou-Wells and Shelby Brooks
Cardinia Shire’s overall crime rate fell by 1.7 per cent in 2022, but concerningly breaches to family violence orders rose, according to the latest official stats.
For 2022, there were 898 breaches, compared to 846 the previous year.
The overall crime rate drop is much smaller than the drop the previous year, which saw total recorded offences fall by 15.6 per cent between 2020 and 2021.
Reported offences were up in Kooweerup (49 per cent), Emerald (55 per cent) and Beaconsfield (40 per cent).
However, there were fewer in Officer (6 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.
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.
