Overall crime in Greater Shepparton is decreasing according to the latest statistics from the Crime Statistics Agency.
However, the number of family incidents is on the rise.
The statistics for the year to June 2022 showed that the number of criminal incidents in Greater Shepparton had decreased by 3.8 per cent on the previous 12 months, with 5688 detected in 2022.
This is down from 5915 criminal incidents in 2021.
The number of offences recorded in Greater Shepparton also dropped this year, with 8264 offences this year, down 14.4 per cent from 9659 in 2021.
In fact, 2022’s figures saw the lowest number of offences overall recorded since 2016.
Breaches of family violence protection orders was the highest crime reported in the 2020-21 financial year, with 1438 reports.
However, these figures were a decrease on the previous year.
Of the top five offences in Greater Shepparton, all saw decreases in 2022, except for breach of bail conditions, which saw a rise.
The second highest offence was criminal damage, with 969 reported.
Breach of bail was the next highest offence, with 638 reported.
Fourth was theft from car, with 528 reported; followed by ‘other thefts’ with 434 reported.
While the number of criminal incidents in Greater Shepparton overall had decreased, crimes against a person, drug offences and justice procedure offences were up on previous years.
However, there was a reduction in property and deception offences, as well as public order and security offences.
In 2022, 1113 crimes against a person were reported.
This is a slight increase from the 1081 offences in 2021.
In Greater Shepparton, five homicides or related offences occurred, up from the previous year.
Sexual offences, however, saw a decrease, with 119 in 2022, compared to 140 the previous year.
Assaults and related offences, however, increased to 746.
In the 12 months to June 2022, there were 2469 property and deception offences – down significantly from 2730 in 2021.
These included 23 arson offences, down from 42 the previously year.
There were also 433 burglaries, a reduction of 46 on the previous year, and 1209 thefts – the lowest number since before Crime Statistics Agency records started in the year 2013.
Property damage had also decreased, with 616 incidents in 2022.
Drug offences increased marginally, from 223 last year to 235 this year.
This included 48 drug dealing or trafficking incidents – an increase of 10 on the previous year – while the 17 drug cultivation or manufacturing incidents held steady at the same number as the previous three years.
Public order and security offences continued on a downward trend, with 286 in 2022, compared to 313 the previous year.
Justice procedures offences saw a rise to the highest ever number recorded in Greater Shepparton – 1543 in 2022, compared to 1376 the previous year.
Of these, breaches of orders increased to 1306 in 2022 compared to 1151 the previous year.
Family incidents increased by 104 to 1727 this year, compared to the previous year.