By Casey Neill and Victoria Stone-Meadows
Crime in Casey is on the rise – at a rate more than three times the state-wide increase.
The Crime Statistics Agency released its recorded crime statistics for Victoria for the year to 31 March on Thursday 15 June.
Overall crime jumped 12.8 per cent in Casey compared to the previous 12 months – that’s an increase of 10.3 per cent per 100,000 people.
The state increase was 4 per cent overall and 2.5 per cent per 100,000 people.
Endeavour Hills bucked the trend in Casey with a 1.3 per cent overall drop in crime, from 1644 offences to 1623.
In Doveton there was an 11 per cent increase, from 1619 offences to 1797.
Hallam registered a 23.6 per cent jump, from 1100 to 1360. Theft and criminal damage were the most common offences in the suburb.
Across Casey, the biggest increase was in dangerous driving offences.
In the year to March last year Casey recorded 21 dangerous driving offences, compared to 49 in the following 12 months – a 133 per cent jump.
Aggravated burglaries increased from 267 instances to 358, and thefts of and from cars rose by 25 per cent and 34 per cent respectively.
Graffiti in the City of Casey dropped 25 cent from 111 to 84.
There was a 35 per cent increase in common assaults and an almost 70 per cent rise in people throwing objects and endangering others.
There was a significant drop in harassment offences, from 217 to 93.
Drug dealing and trafficking in Casey fell 20 per cent while drug cultivation and manufacture dropped almost 30 per cent.
However, people being caught with illicit drugs in their possession remained steady, with 984 offences for the year to 31 March.
The figures showed 156 fewer people processed for breaching court imposed intervention orders, a 60 per cent drop.
Similarly, there were 216 fewer cases of people breaching their bail conditions, a 58 per cent decrease.
Police were unavailable to comment on the latest crime figures.
