Welcome to our last Suburb in Focus for 2017! What a year it has been. We have focused on a number of our most frequented suburbs this year, starting with our home turf, Collingwood, in January. We then went through Fitzroy, Abbotsford, South Melbourne, Northcote, North Melbourne, Carlton, Melbourne, Preston, Brunswick, East & West Brunswick and last month, we looked at Coburg’s crime rates.
Last month, we also looked at Richmond’s commercial scene, noting the changes the suburb has gone through as it morphs from bohemian paradise into Melbourne’s tech mecca. With all the development happening in Richmond, it’s now our turn to ask: what are its crime rates, and what can you do to protect your Richmond home, car or business?
To that end, we present Richmond’s Crime Rates 2017 as taken from The Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (CSV).
The Top 5 Offences in Richmond
- Theft (1,787 cases reported)
- Deception (442 cases reported)
- Burglary/ Breaking and Entering (372 cases reported)
- Property Damage (346 cases reported)
- Breaches of Orders (336 cases reported)
Theft in Richmond
As usual in our Suburb in Focus series, Theft tops the list of the Top 5 Offences. Theft affects us all. We regularly post tips and tricks to help secure your home, business and vehicle against Theft, but nothing works as well as a good quality lock. Make sure all of your doors and windows are secure. Loose or absent locks are weak points in your security, offering burglars an easy way in.
If you are worried about Theft in Richmond, why not consider a safe? At Amalgamated Locksmiths, we sell, service and install a wide range of safes for an even wider range of security needs. Talk to us today about your security concerns and we will be able to advise you on the safe that’s right for you. Our mobile locksmiths can provide a free on-site quote before we install your safe in your home or business.
Richmond’s Deception
Deception spiked in 2015 in Richmond, with 661 cases reported. Deception was at its lowest when the CSV first started reporting Melbourne’s crime rates, in 2013. That year, 335 cases were reported. Last year, 429 cases were reported. And this year, there were 442. This kind of crime involves the criminal lying about their identity to deprive someone else of property.
Amalgamated Locksmiths do what we can to prevent our clients from being deceived. Every one of our locksmiths carry with them their Victoria Police Security Licence and are happy to show our clients before any work is started. You are also free to ring us up to confirm your locksmith’s identity should you so desire — you don’t just have to rely on our neat uniforms and branded vans!
Burglary/ Breaking and Entering
Where Theft is depriving someone of their property, including receiving stolen goods, Breaking and Entering involves the perpetrator actually entering your property; and Burglary, taking your possessions when there. Burglary and Breaking and Entering are perhaps the two crimes locksmiths work to protect you from most. Around this time of year, burglary numbers can spike, with a larger percentage of the population leaving their homes empty while on holiday. Read our Xmas Security Tips for some simple ways to protect your home against Burglary.
Property Damage
Property Damage in Richmond has hovered around 330 cases per year since 2013. This year has seen the highest number of Property Damage cases reported, with 346, an 11% climb from last year’s 310. 2015 saw the lowest number of cases of Richmond Property Damage, 301. Protect yourself against Property Damage by securing your premises: keep your car in a garage, install perimeter lights around your property and make sure you have a good alarm system to ward off intruders.
Breaches of Orders
Breaches of Orders have little to do with us locksmiths. These crimes involve not following court orders. If you need some handy tips on these, we recommend consulting a lawyer!
That’s it from us for this week, and this year! Stay safe these holidays and have a wonderful New Year! We’ll be back next week for our first post of 2018. Remember, our usual services are closed on New Year’s Day but our emergency locksmiths are available 24/7 if you need them.
Wishing you all a safe and prosperous New Year,
The Amalgamated Locksmiths blogging team.
