Crime in Northcote

This year, we have been breaking down the latest crime data per suburb. Starting with Abbotsford, we have moved through Collingwood, Fitzroy, South Melbourne and today, we are focusing on Northcote’s crime rates.

We take our statistics from the official Crime Statistics Agency of Victoria (CSA) and the RACV.

The Top 5 Offences in Northcote are:

  1. Theft (1,135 offences)
  2. Breaking and Entering (307 offences)
  3. Property damage (214 offences)
  4. Deception (158 offences)
  5. Breaches of Justice Orders (149 offences)

Property and Person Offences

Every year since 2012, theft has been the most common crime reported in Northcote, and its levels keep rising. In 2016, levels of theft in Northcote rose by 26%. Thieves often strike when you are away from home, so read up on our home security tips.

Burglary and break-and-enters have also increased over this period by 10.1%.  In Northcote, this number was higher than the average – going from 263 in 2015 to 307. That’s a rise of 16.7% in our suburb. Burglars typically target your front door. Read our last blog on securing your front door here, in which we recommend the Lockwood 001Touch Keyless Digital Deadbolt and Deadlatch for the ultimate front door security.

Unlike Northcote’s other property offences, the rate of arson dropped in 2016. Where the greater trend was for arson cases to increase in 2016 by 12.5% (to over 4,000 cases in the greater Melbourne region), Northcote’s arson cases dropped from 7 reported cases in 2015 to only 6 in 2016. Check out our fire-resistant safes here.

Don’t rest too easily though, Northcote! Where property damage in all of Melbourne increased only by 2%, in the 6.3km2 that is Northcote, burglaries and break-and-enters increased 16.7% from 263 to 307. Most burglaries occur when the property dwellers are out. This is why it’s important to have a good alarm system, or a dog to ward off would-be burglars.

Public Offences

Robbery has increased in Greater Melbourne in 2016. The year before, 2,572 cases were reported. In 2016, 3,200 robberies occurred. That’s an increase of 24.4%. Northcote has bucked this trend, with only 5 reported robberies occurring in 2016, down from 8.

Luckily for Melbournians, public order and security offences have reduced 63.4%, with only 71 cases reported over 2016. There were also 2,000 fewer disorderly and offensive conduct charges, to 16, 343 charges brought in 2016. Only 9 of these offences occurred in Northcote.

There were 271 public offences and acts against the person in 2016, compared to 1,662 property-related offences (arson, property damage, burglary/ break-ins, and thefts). This makes it seem like it’s safer to be out of your house than at home!

In Northcote, thefts, break-ins and property damage offences made up 70.6% of the total crimes committed in 2016. While the streets were safer in 2016 than the year before, our homes were not.

Feel safer at home by going to your local Amalgamated Locksmiths store and fortify your castle today or call us for a free on-site quote.