By Oliver Lees
The crime rate in the Macedon Ranges has spiked by more than 11 per cent in the year to March despite a decrease in crime across the state, according to data released last week.
According to the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA), 2675 offences were recorded in the Macedon Ranges in the year to March, an 11.7 per cent total increase from the previous 12 months (2394).
However the total number of offences recorded across the state was down 47,806 offences ovr the 12 months to March, a total drop of 8.8 per cent.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said the decrease was the largest single year percentage decrease in Victoria since 1993.
“The reductions in most key crime areas is pleasing, however we remain focused on strategies to keep the community safe,” he said.
“There have been over 13,000 less homes and businesses broken into.
“We are well aware that crime stats are more than just numbers. The majority of these stats are victims of crime, many of whom are affected for months, years, and sometimes a lifetime.’
In the Macedon Ranges the largest number of offences occurred in Gisborne (605), followed by Kyneton (509), Woodend (341), Romsey (262) and Lancefield (151).
The most common offences recorded were breach of family violence order (344), public health and safety offences (288), criminal damage (197) and drug possession (197).
Deputy Commissioner Nugent said Victoria Police was prioritising family violence and family violence-related related crimes as the number of offences recorded increased 8247 to 54,395 across the state.
In Hume, there was a 2.5 per cent drop in overall offences recorded, according to the data.
Sunbury was ranked in the top three for the most offences recorded across Hume (2976).
The number one offence in Hume was public health and safety offences (2072), followed by breach family violence order (1995) and steal from a motor vehicle (1848).
Across the state, 37,939 fines were issued for beaches of the chief health officer’s directions.
