But certain age groups have bucked the trend with a decrease in reported youth crimes in Bendigo.

Youth crime has risen by 66.9 per cent in Greater Bendigo and 69.3 per cent in the Mount Alexander Shire over the past 10 years.

In Bendigo, offences committed by 10-14 year olds and 15-19 year olds have both dropped.

Just 120 incidents by 10-14 year olds were recorded in 2016 – a 45.9 per cent drop since 2007 (222).

For the 15-19 year age bracket in Bendigo, there has been a 29.2 per cent drop since 2007. There were 567 incidents recorded in the last year down from 636 in 2007.

Bendigo police Senior Sergeant John Dalton said it was please to see a reduction in incidents in the younger age brackets.

“We've gone a long way to reducing those numbers,” he said.

“These days those youth have more access to different support services, which help them reduce offending in those particular age brackets.”

The greatest increase in incidents in Bendigo came from the 25 and over age bracket. Incidents rose from 838 in 2007 and are currently at 2097 – the highest it has been in 10 years and an increase of 150 per cent.

The 20-24 year old bracket also saw an increase of 79.2 per cent. The number of incidents is also at its highest in 10 years (690).

“In terms of the older age bracket, we see a lot of offending that is a result of drug use,” Senior Sergeant Dalton said. 

“That is certainly impacting those figures. The reduction in younger ones is due to good networks and supports and (the rise) in the odler (age brackets) is around the drugs.”

In the Mount Alexander Shire, the 10-14 year old group was the only bracket to see a decrease (29 in 2007 down to 16 in 2016).

The 15-19 year old group saw an increase of 31 over 10 years to 141 but in the last 12 months there has been a 138.9 per cent increase up from 59 in 2015.

Over the 10-year period people aged 25 and over have seen a 121.2 percent increase in reported incidents.

Across both regions, public order and security offences have more than doubled with a 183 per cent increase over 10 years.

In 2016, 501 public order and security offences were reported but after peaking in 2014 at 669, there has been a decrease each year.

“We have done a lot of work in that area by working with the different support agencies,” Senior Sergeant John Dalton said.

“We're dealing very closely now with traders and shopping centre managements, licensees of different venues and other security organisations.

“There are also those support referrals to stop kids from re-offending and I think that you will find with reductions (it is because) we are putting a hold on youth re-offenders.” 

Drug offences have also decreased since 2015 (357 to 284) but have still risen by 83 per cent since 2007.

Crimes against the person have also gone up by 94.1 per cent since 2007 with the 25 and older age bracket in creasing each year since 2011.

The 10-14 and 15-19 age brackets have seen decreases in crimes against the person each year since 2014.

Property and deception offence have remained the most consistent with 1220 in 2007, a peak of 1478 in 2008 and 1387 recorded in 2016 – an increase of 13.7 per cent since 2007.