A recent report from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) reveals that less than 1% of Victoria’s population is responsible for nearly half of all crimes recorded in the state, as overall criminal offenses rose by 15.7% to 638,640 in the 2024-25 financial year. This marks the highest crime rate since tracking began in 2004, with incidents per 100,000 people reaching 8,998.9, a 13.8% increase from the previous year. Notably, 5,400 repeat offenders accounted for 40% of crimes, despite only comprising 0.078% of the population.

Theft remains the fastest-growing crime, driven largely by vehicle-related thefts, which jumped by 39.4% to 86,351 incidents. Family violence also saw a record high of 106,427 cases. Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill attributed the surge in crime to multiple factors, including economic pressures and the impacts of COVID-19.

Victoria’s police plan to implement a strategy to reduce serious crime by 5% annually, with Chief Commissioner Mike Bush expected to reveal further details in mid-October. Additionally, new bail laws intended to strengthen community safety are showing early effects, with significant increases in the number of individuals losing their bail privileges. Opposition Leader Brad Battin has criticized the government’s handling of crime, labeling the statistics a “complete failure.”



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