Statistics often make for a dry presentation of truth. But they can be telling.
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For Victoria Police, the numbers that show the rate of criminal activity during the past year paint a clear picture – some crimes are on the increase, and they’re having an impact.
In Bendigo alone, 600 homes were broken into. That’s 100 more than the previous year. Motor vehicle thefts increased by 50 per cent. As Superintendent Darren Franks says, that’s hundreds of people in Bendigo who have had their privacy violated, their safety compromised and, in many cases, the keys to their vehicle stolen to be used in further crime.
Many, following crimes that invade their personal space, find it difficult to return to their homes, no longer feel safe in public places or are unable to resume day-to-day activities. Children in particular can be traumatised by the fact a stranger has entered their home.
The reasons for increased crime in these areas come as no surprise – to central Victoria, or across the state. They’re common themes in all regions: drugs and youth crime. There are many and varied reasons why people turn to crime, and you can’t stop criminal activity without addressing the root causes.
But what Victoria Police says we can all do, is make it harder for people to commit crimes. Bendigo police have dedicated a new task force to breaking the upwards trend in residential burglaries and motor vehicle thefts, drawing on the expertise of uniform officers and detectives from a number of units. In the four weeks since the group formed, the numbers have started falling.
But Superintendent Franks is correct when he says police can only do so much – they need our help. No, we should not have to lock our doors and windows – but the reality is, we need to. This is particularly the case during the day, when we are most vulnerable to burglars. And we need to be mindful of what we leave around, and where. Some would argue that asking people to be mindful of their own belongings is placing the onus on those who do the right thing, but taking a few minutes to secure our homes, or remove the keys from the ignition, could make a difference to the number of people affected by crime in our community.
And that’s when statistics mean most. When they’re about people.
Nicole Ferrie, editor