By Jessica Micallef
Macedon Ranges’ overall crime rate has lowered by more than three per cent in the year to March 2020 despite a sharp surge in family violence incidents, latest data shows.
According to the Crime Statistics Agency, the region recorded 2389 offences, a decrease from 2472 in the previous 12 months.
Family violence incidents also surged by 9.2 per cent across the Macedon Ranges.
Of the 465 cases, a female was the victim on 325 occasions.
Individuals aged between 45-54 were involved in the most family violence incidents across the municipality.
Crime Statistics Agency chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said the number of family incidents recorded by Victoria Police during the 12 months to March was the highest on record.
“During this period, family violence related offences were the main contributor to increases in breach of orders offences” she said.
Of the total record offences for the Macedon Ranges, 47 per cent ended up in an arrest or summons, while 38 per cent of cases remain unsolved.
Kyneton was the worst town for offences recorded , 459, followed by Gisborne, Romsey, Woodend and Macedon.
According to the agency, crimes against the person – including assault and related offences, sexual offences, stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour and dangerous and negligent acts endangering people – have risen by 16 to 372 recorded offences.
A sharp drop in the number of theft offences was recorded. Almost 100 less theft offences were recorded in the 12 months to March 2020 (from 824 to 726).
Deception offences also decreased in the same period with 89 offences recorded compared to 116 in the previous year.
In Hume, offences recorded rose by nearly two per cent in the year to March 2020 (from 21,117 to 21,588).
Sunbury was ranked in the top three for the most offences recorded across Hume.
