By ANEEKA SIMONIS
CAR thefts increased by 43 per cent in Cardinia Shire last year – but it’s this year’s car theft rates that will really shock.
A senior detective says the spike in stolen cars will be far greater at the end of this year if the crime wave continues at the same rate in the municipality and wider outer south-east region.
Some 20 cars were reported stolen last year according to RACV insurance data which valued claim costs at more than $20,000.
Nearby, Casey and Greater Dandenong experienced some of the highest car theft rates across the state.
Casey came in as the third most affected municipality with 69 RACV recorded car thefts, followed by Greater Dandenong, fourth, with 45 reported thefts.
The data only takes in RACV insurer information – with many more vehicles known to have been stolen throughout the 12-month period.
Last year’s crime rates are expected to pale in comparison to car theft figures this year.
Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Sergeant Phil Jury told the Gazette the spike in car thefts and related offences was unprecedented.
Car thefts, theft from motor vehicles and associated aggravated burglaries offences have increased at a rate never before seen in any other crime category, according to the detective with over 20 years’ experience with Victoria Police.
Many of the car thefts are being traced back to youth offenders, many emerging in the south-east region with the rise of the so-called Apex gang and their copy-cats.
On Tuesday 19 July, a car was allegedly stolen from Moody Street, Kooweerup.
Earlier that day, police charged three Pakenham boys aged 15-16 with theft of a motor vehicle in relation to three burglaries – one involving a car stolen from a Botanic Drive, Pakenham home on the weekend.
Two youths were charged a week earlier with the theft of a car taken from a Harvest Road, Officer address.
The crime trend is of great concern to police who have repeatedly described offenders as increasingly violent and brazen – storming homes for keys, often when victims are present.
Shadow Minister for Police Edward O’Donohue spoke out against the “juvenile crime crisis” in parliament on Tuesday 19 July.
He laid blame on the State Government over legislative changes to teen bail laws which prevented them from being charged if they were found in breach of their bail conditions.
“(The State Government has) sent the wrong message to a growing cohort of hardened young offenders by watering down the juvenile bail laws and weakening our justice system,” he said of the legislation announced in May.
Victoria Police recorded 18,853 vehicle thefts state-wide in 2015, an increase of 13.5 per cent compared to the previous year.
Thefts from motor vehicles also increased to more than 150 a day on average, with 89 per cent of offences not solved.
