The number of crime incidents in Shepparton in 2022 dropped on the previous year.
The latest figures from the Crime Statistics Agency showed there were 5626 criminal incidents in Greater Shepparton in 2022, a decrease of 4.6 per cent on 2021’s figure of 5899.
In fact, 2022 saw the lowest number of crime incidents in seven years.
Family incidents, however, jumped 7.7 per cent in the past year, with 1773 incidents recorded in 2022, compared to 1646 in 2021.
Shepparton police Acting Inspector Damian Keegan was pleased with the overall decrease in crimes being committed.
“I would have expected to see an increase as the state opens up (after the COVID-19 lockdown years),” he said.
“Being down 4.6 per cent is better than the state average, which saw a nine per cent overall increase.”
However, he is mindful that the 2022 figures could still have included a COVID-19 influenced “lull” at the start of 2022.
Insp Keegan said the increase in family incidents could also be partly put down to COVID-19 times where victims were not as easily able to gain access to the supports they needed and therefore were not reporting incidents against them as much.
Overall in 2022, crimes against the person increased slightly in Greater Shepparton in 2022, with 1110 incidents — up 14 on the previous year.
Assaults, sexual offences and robbery all decreased in 2022, while stalking and harassment incidents rose by 32 to 135 in 2022.
In 2022 there were 714 assaults (a decrease of 32 on the 2021 figures), 121 sexual offences (down by nine) and 12 robberies (down by two).
The number of property and deception offences was the lowest in the 10 years since the statistics started being collated by the Crime Statistics Agency.
In 2022 there were 2389 of these incidents, compared to 2827 the previous year.
Arson decreased in 2022 — down to 25 in 2022 from 38 the previous year.
Property damage dropped significantly to 500 incidents in 2022, compared to 659 in 2021.
Theft also decreased to 1149 incidents in 2022, down from 1377 in 2021.
The number of burglaries in Greater Shepparton, however, rose slightly in the 12 months, up 12 to 508 in 2022.
Insp Keegan attributes part of this increase to burglaries of flood-affected houses after the floods in October 2022.
“I wouldn’t say it is a dramatic issue, but we have seen some of these,” he said.
He also urged people to make sure they locked their houses and did not leave keys to vehicles near their doors.
Public order and security offences increased in 2022, up from 273 in 2021 to 320 last year.
Weapons and explosives incidents were up by four to 163, while disorderly and offensive conduct incidents increased from 79 in 2021 to 131 last year.
There was also an overall jump in justice procedure offences, including 1286 breaches of orders.
This was the highest number of breaches in the 10 years for which statistics have been recorded, and was an increase from 1217 in 2021.
Insp Keegan said this jump was attributable to police focusing on this area more to keep family violence victims safe.
“That’s from our ongoing commitment to holding people accountable in addressing family violence in the community,” he said.
“We do expect to see an increase in numbers in that area to ensure support to victims of family violence.”