According to a study by Crime Statistics Agency, retail store theft increased by 47.1 per cent over the past year. Overall theft incidents increased by 36 per cent - 11,098 to 41,890 alleged incidents.
With the rate of recorded offences increasing by 13.2 per cent, chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said these figures were concerning.
"The rate of theft offences being recorded per 100,000 Victorians has exceeded historical peaks, driven by record-high numbers of steal from motor vehicle, steal from retail store and motor vehicle theft offences recorded by Victoria Police in 2024," she said.
“These increasingly prevalent theft offences can be opportunistic in nature and may be linked to cost of living pressures, especially for increases in shoplifting where increases are linked to adult offenders often in their 30s.”
Meanwhile, in New South Wales, theft from retail stores increased by 10.4 per cent in regional communities, as reported by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.
The ten-year average of retail store theft has increased by 2.7 per cent; however, the organisation stated that while some areas of crime have risen, total levels have been stable over the past two years.
Finally, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has confirmed that jewellery remains a priority for criminals during household robberies and burglaries.
Household robberies increased to an estimated 2.1 per cent of all households during the 2023-24 reporting period. The report noted that 27 per cent of stolen items included personal items such as jewellery.
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