Each month, the Amalgamated Locksmiths’ blogging team bring you the crime stats for a different Melbourne suburb. So far, we have discussed Melbourne, Carlton, Collingwood, Fitzroy, Abbotsford, South Melbourne, Northcote and North Melbourne. Today, we present to you: Preston’s Crime Statistics 2017.
We get our information from Crime Statistics Victoria (CSV), the government department responsible for the publication of crime statistics since 2013. Their data is compiled in March every year.
Preston’s Top 5 Offences
The five most common offences in Preston this year were:
- Theft (3,046)
- Deception (820)
- Burglary/ Break and Enter (470)
- Breaches of Justice Orders (355)
- Property Damage (336)
These five types of offences often seem to make the top five per suburb, and theft almost always appears at the very top. For Northcote, just south of Preston, theft, deception, burglary, breaches of orders and property damage were also the top five offences, albeit in a slightly different order and with smaller numbers.
Crimes Against the Person
Assaults, robbery, stalking and harassment, endangering and negligence causing harm comprise the CSV’s “Crimes Against the Person” category. In total, there were 583 of this type of offence committed in Preston this year, neither the highest (that was in 2014 with 662), nor the lowest (2016’s 515) it has been.
Property and Deception Offences
All but one of Preston’s top 5 offences fall into the Property and Deception category. Let’s start with Theft, before addressing Arson and breaking down Burglary.
Theft
As in Northcote, theft continues to make up the greatest chunk of property and deception offences in Preston since 2013. Theft is by far the most common type of offence in this and all categories, with no other offence type occurring in the thousands. With 400 fewer instances than last year, this year’s theft stats are still 1,000 incidents higher than they were in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Arson
Arson is higher in Preston than in Northcote too, with Preston residents reporting 22 cases to Northcote’s 2. This is an increase from Preston’s 15 reported cases of Arson and a decrease from Northcote’s 11. We recommend fire-resistant safes to a number of our Preston clients. Talk to us today to see if a fire-resistant safe is right for your Preston home or business.
Burglary/ Breaking and Entering
Burglary and break-ins have dropped by almost a quarter from last year’s data, but this is still over 400 reported incidents per year. Criminals look for the easiest ways to get into your home, so make sure your side doors are secured.
Deception
For the second time in Preston’s crime statistics history, Deception has overtaken Burglary/ Break and Enter as the second most common offence in this category. Deception includes obtaining property by deception, making false documents, obtaining financial gain through deception (so fraud) and giving false names.
To help fight fraud, make sure that anyone working on your home or business is qualified and accredited. All Amalgamated Locksmiths are licensed locksmiths and members of the Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia. When any stranger comes to work on your property, ask to see their credentials. Check out our Six Questions to ask a Locksmith and don’t be afraid to ask for some ID.
For More Information
Most property offences happen when you are out of your home. Check out our services to see how we can help you protect your Preston palace against possible prowlers, arsonists and intruders today.
For a free onsite quote, contact us today. Our locksmiths will come to your Preston address to answer all of your residential, automotive and commercial security needs.
Or if you need an emergency locksmith in Preston outside of hours, get in touch. Our emergency locksmiths work 24/7 and are ready to restore your home’s security.
