Labor’s continual under-resourcing of Victoria Police has seen aggravated burglaries rise to record level and, alarmingly, leaves most of them unsolved.
Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) data for the year ending 31 December 2023 has revealed a 29per cent increase in residential aggravated burglaries over the past 12 months, with a total of 5,887 incidents – a record for a calendar year period.
Other alarming results included thefts from a retail store (up by 39 per cent), aggravated robbery (up 28 per cent) and theft from motor vehicles (up by 19per cent).
A serious consequence of Labor’s failure to keep its promises over police numbers is an alarming rise in crimes remaining unsolved.
Residential aggravated burglaries remaining unsolved reached 64 per cent during the reporting period, up 16per cent from 2022 and almost 33 per cent higher than when Labor was elected in 2014. Other crimes with a significant proportion remaining unsolved include residential non-aggravated burglaries (a staggering 82 per cent remaining unsolved), theft from a motor vehicle (88 per cent unsolved), motor vehicle theft (57 per cent unsolved) and criminal damage (47 per cent unsolved).
The overall rate of offences across Victoria increased by 5.6per cent while criminal incidents increased by 10.6per cent.
Shadow Minister for Youth Justice, Brad Battin, said: “Victims of crime – and indeed all Victorians – have again been badly let down by the Allan Labor Government.
“Police numbers are going backwards – that is an objective fact. Police are doing the best they can, but they are just not being given the tools they need.
“This leaves too many crimes occurring, too many crimes going unsolved and too many victims. It just isn’t good enough, and unless Labor stops with the smoke and mirrors and actually increases the number of police above current levels, it will keep happening.
“Only a Liberals and Nationals Government will properly resource Victoria Police and do something about the crime epidemic, and that is exactly what we are working towards.”
