The Crime Statistics Agency has released the latest crime statistics for Victoria for the year ending March 2025 (Apr 2024 – Mar 2025). The total number of recorded offences across the state was 627,268, representing a 17.1% increase compared to March 2024 (Apr 2023 – Mar 2024). The offence rate per 100,000 population rose by 15.2% to 8,838.7, the highest rate recorded in the past decade.
Breakdown of offences includes:
- Crimes against the person: 97,160
- Property and deception offences: 370,587
- Drug offences: 32,704
- Public order and security offences: 29,331
- Justice procedures offences: 95,822
- Other offences: 1,664
Offences by Location
| Location Type | 2024 Offences | 2025 Offences | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential | 239,988 | 270,306 | +12.63% |
| Community | 149,077 | 178,540 | +19.76% |
| Other | 118,592 | 144,064 | +21.48% |
Among the various location types, the data shows significant changes in offence rates:
Offences at private dwelling houses increased by 11.54%, and those at flats, units, and apartments rose by 7.56%.
In the healthcare sector, offences went up by 23.23% at hospitals, 18.70% at medical centres, and 29.91% at dental clinics.
Churches recorded a 24.28% increase in offences.
Public transport also saw rises, with offences increasing by 32.70% on trains and 22.57% at train stations.
In contrast, offences related to taxis dropped significantly by 67.15%.
Other notable increases include:
Car wash facilities: +58.87%
Service stations: +25.61%
Shopping complexes: +21.85%
Factories: +24.27%
Licensed premises (e.g., pubs, clubs): +18.53%
Offences by Investigation Status
There has been a significant rise in unsolved offences. The total number of unsolved cases increased by 42.41%, rising from 204,244 in 2024 to 290,871 in 2025.
Crimes against the person (unsolved): up 75.19%
Property and deception offences (unsolved): up 37.40%
Drug offences (unsolved): surged by 103.86%
These figures highlight growing challenges in resolving certain categories of crime.
Number Plate Theft
Between April 2024 and March 2025, a total of 29,790 number plate theft offences were recorded, a 50.79% increase compared to the same period in the previous year (April 2023 to March 2024).
The top three local government areas (LGAs) with the highest number of reported cases were:
Casey: 2,139 offences
Hume: 1,966 offences
Greater Dandenong: 1,581 offences
These areas have seen the most significant activity related to number plate theft.