Police are reporting a “healthy reduction” in property crime in Bendigo following week one of a crime crackdown in the city.

Bendigo local area commander Shane Brundell said the drop was not only the result of increased police attention, but of the community taking greater ownership of public safety in their neighbourhood.

“In the first week of the campaign we’ve seen a really healthy reduction in property crime in the Bendigo area and that’s come about due to a number of factors,” he said.

“One, the increased police attention around these offenders, and number two, the community have taken a more active role in safety around their own community.”

Superintendent Brundell said the role information from members of the public played in crime fighting had not diminished over time and remained, in a word, “massive”.

“Particularly in an area such as Bendigo where it’s a confined community compared to metro [areas], there’s less people filtering in and out from an offender point of view,” he said.

“So with the community of Bendigo, they can really take some ownership around what happens in their township.”

Superintendent Brundell said while the offenders police were chasing did not represent a danger to public safety, taking some simple precautions could help reduce residents’ chances of becoming victims of crime.

“They’re opportunistic type people that are looking for the open house, the unlocked house, the unlocked car, and they’re looking for opportunities to take electrical goods, jewellery items, cash, stuff they can easily dispose of,” he said.

“There’s nothing to suggest they pose a physical danger to anyone, but by definition, if people are breaking into houses, if they’re gaining access to houses, there’s always the potential for conflict, so that’s why we say to the community, ‘be aware of your surrounds, lock your houses and lock your vehicles’.”

View Bendigo’s most wanted at www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au and call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 to report any information.