Violent Victoria’s Grim Crime Statistics

The grim facts of Victoria’s violent crime crisis have been laid bare with the release of the state’s annual crime statistics. Data from the Victorian Government’s own Crime Statistics Agency revealed that 638,640 criminal offences were recorded in Victoria in the twelve months to the end of June 2025 – an increase of 86,587 or 15.7% from the previous year. Adjusted for population growth, that’s a 13.8% annual increase with 8,998.9 offences committed per 100,000 people.

 33,018 Motor vehicle thefts were reported, an annual increase of 9,786 or 42.1%. It’s at its highest level since 2002. 41,667 retail store thefts were reported, an annual increase of 9,004 or 27.6%. 58,593 other theft offences were recorded, an annual increase of 7,931 or 15.7 )with petrol the most common item stolen in this category 5,891, an increase of 1,188 or 25.3%.

11,075, prohibited and controlled weapons offences were recorded, an increase of 1,146 or 11.5%). Victoria Police intelligence indicated that in the previous 12 months to the end of August, they had seized almost 11,000 edged weapons.

Offences committed by children, those under the age of 18, accounted for 12.8% of all offenders. But child offenders were overrepresented in serious and violent crimes such as robberies (62.2%), aggravated burglaries (47.7%), and car theft (26.4%). 1,128 child offenders committed a combined 7,118 offences, with total arrests increasing by 26.7% from the previous year. However there were 149 fewer child offenders reported this past 12 months, demonstrating that repeat child offenders are responsible for the increase in youth crime. 

The machete amnesty began on 1 September with 40 machete amnesty disposal bins set up at local police stations across the state at a cost of $325,000 per bin or $13 million in total. The last state government update said 1,386 machetes had been disposed of plus 3,400 from retailers. The amnesty runs until November 30.

Yet on the evening of Saturday 6th September the state of Victoria was horrified by the most horrific machete stabbing deaths to date. 15-year-old Dau Akueng and 12-year-old Chol Achiek in Cobblebank in Melbourne’s West were attacked by a gang of 8 masked men as they got off a local bus after a basketball match. They both died from their injuries in front of local neighbours.

Victoria Police charged 8 people The three adults charged are, Prince Conteh, 19, Peter Addo, 18, and Abel Sorzor, 19. The four underage accused cannot be named for legal reasons. All were remanded in custody which is a miracle in Victoria. Prosecutors have requested 16 weeks for the police to compile their evidence.

The names of the victims and the names of three adults charged with their murder were all South Sudanese. In 2024, African youth account for about 50% of young people in custody in Victoria, up from 4% in 2012. It should be noted that the victim’s parents deny that they were part of a youth gang, and police believe they were victims of mistaken identity. 

New Bail Law’s Impact

The Allan Government’s much-touted tough new bail laws passed in March this year are having an impact. The number of adults remanded in custody while awaiting trial has increased by 22 per cent, and the number of youths held on remand has increased by 26 per cent. 

This year’s state budget allocated more than $700m to increase bed and staffing numbers across the prison system. Job ads for prison officers are being advertised with no experience required, with salaries of up to 91k and an 8k signing bonus.

The state government has been warned that prisons could be full by the middle of next year. Cell shortages will not be helped by the closure of the 1087-bed men’s Port Phillip Prison in Truganina by year’s end, transferring prisoners to the new 1248-bed Western Plains Correctional Centre in Lara. Construction on this new $1.119 billion prison was actually completed back in November 2022. There has been talk of reopening the closed Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre which was replaced by the 130-bed $419 million Cherry Creek Youth Justice Centre in 2023.

Jacinta Allan’s Reaction

But if you look at Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s social media feed, she is more interested in talking about anything other than the state’s violent crime crisis. Her first press conference post the deadly Cobblebank machete attack was to announce her government’s Indigenous treaty bill.

She then travelled to China for five days and promised to bring in more international students and tourists from China. She ordered four tunnel boring machines for her $35 billion Surbarbain Rail Loop East project. Announced a Chinese firm, which is accused of using Uyghur slave labour would build the Kiewa Valley Battery Energy Storage System.

Given it’s AFL Grand Final Day tomorrow she spruked at rebuild of the MCG which if it includes adding a roof would cost $6 billion. 

Jacinta Allan will certainly hope that next year her Tough Bail laws will bear more results in the lead-up to the November 2026 state election. Despite crime, increased electricity prices the big build budget blowouts and corruption her Labor Government is maintaining its lead in the polls.

You can view the latest Snapshot report below:

About The Author