CRIME overall is reducing in the City of Kingston, with the rate down 2.3 per cent 2013-2014.
Acting Inspector Janene Denton said that, over the past 12 months, the number of robberies had fallen 23.3 per cent, assaults (excluding family violence assaults) 3.7 per cent and property damage 13.7 per cent.
But she said residential burglaries and theft from motor cars were “of particular concern”.
“We have seen an increase in these two crime categories throughout the municipality with residential burglaries up 10.2 per cent and theft from cars up 17.1 per cent.”
Most of the thefts from motor cars occur in residential streets and driveways with thieves targeting unlocked vehicles. “They typically walk the streets checking door handles of cars and then break into those have been left unlocked,” she said.
“It’s a timely reminder to everyone to ensure all valuables are removed or kept out of sight in vehicles and to never leave your car unlocked, even when parked in the driveway.”
Residential burglaries mostly occur in the day time. Those seeing any suspicious behaviour or a suspicious person loitering in their area should call triple zero (000) immediately.
Drug offences are up 22.4 per cent, which Acting Inspector Denton says is a direct result of intensive police focus on disrupting drug activity by detecting those using and selling drugs.
“Although we’ve seen a slight reduction (.4 per cent) in injury collisions within Kingston the numbers are still far too high,” she said.
“Between October 2013 and September 2014, a total of 484 injury collisions were reported. Speed and distractions, such as using mobile phones while driving, contributed to many of these.”
PSOs have been deployed on the Kingston train network in the evenings. Acting Inspector Denton said this aimed to provide a greater level of comfort and safety to those using trains at night.
“Kingston continues to stand out as a wonderful place to live and work,” she said. “The sense of community among us all is very strong and together we can keep safety our number one priority.”
Figures covering all of Southern Metro Region – which includes Kingston – show there was a 4 per cent rise in the number of offences during 2013-14 to 98,650 offences.
Crime Against the Person offences fell by 1.3 per cent to 13,367 offences, Crime Against Property offences rose by 1.2 per cent and drug offences rose 9.2 per cent.
The largest increases were in justice procedures (up 26.2 per cent), handle stolen goods (up 31 per cent), and theft from motor vehicle (up 12.4 per cent).
Categories to experience large percentage falls included theft (other) down 9.2 per cent), sex (non-rape) down 1.3 per cent, and burglary (residential) down 3.8 per cent.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
