New data shows 17.8 per cent rise in crime for Bendigo

Data released by the Crime Statistics Agency says Bendigo experienced 8655 criminal incidents in the 12 months to September, a rise of 1309 from 2018 when 7346 criminal incidents were reported.

Most offences occurred in Bendigo (2349) followed by Kangaroo Flat (897), Golden Square (663), Long Gully (569) and Eaglehawk (403).

Property and deception offences were the main contributor to the rise in criminal incidents.

There were 1106 more 4902 property and deception offences in the year to September. In 2018 the number stood at 3796.

Instances of theft (which is included in the property and deception offences category) were at 2674 for this year - 680 more than the 1994 recorded in 2018.

Justice procedures, which includes breaches of orders rose from 1318 to 1562. The rise of 244 was the other main contributor to the overall increase of criminal incidents in Bendigo.

Overall crimes against the person rose by 16 to 1383 for the year but some sub-categories in that group recorded a drop in incidents reported.

Offences of assault, harassment and stalking, and dangerous or negligent acts endangering people decreased but sexual assaults increased by 46 to 277 at a rate of 234.4 per 100,000 people.

Drug offences also decreased with recorded incidents dropping by 18 to 247. Drug use and possession offences dropped from 189 in 2018 to 154 in the year to September.

Crime is also up for the rest of the state with recorded offences climbing by 4.1 per cent.

Victoria saw 529,230 offences in the year to September compared to 508,447 for the same time in 2018.

Criminal incidents were up by 3.7 per cent while family-related incidents were up by 7.4 per cent to 83,775.