More than $1.7m worth of items stolen from south-west residents in a year

Crime Statistics Agency figures released on March 21, 2024 revealed there were 1590 items stolen during burglary/break-ins and thefts across the south-west in the year to December 2023.

The Standard crunched the numbers for Victoria Police western region division two, which encompasses Warrnambool, Southern Grampians, Moyne, Glenelg and Corangamite.

Warrnambool was a hot spot for theft with 784 items, valued at more than $400,000, stolen in 2023 - up 23 per cent from the same period in 2022.

The theft of cash, clothing, jewellery, electrical and household goods jumped from the year before while the number of stolen firearms, ammunition and tools was down.

Thieves stole more than three times the value of jewellery in 2022 with $157,942 looted that year, compared to $51,878 in 2023.

But the quantity of cash soared with $12,000 stolen in 2022 and $126,878 the following year.

Despite the number of items stolen increasing in 2023 the total value of the goods was down by about $10,000.

More than $100,000 worth of tools and timber/building materials was nabbed in 2022, nearly double the amount in 2023.

Corangamite also saw a jump in the number of items stolen but almost a $200,000 decrease in value.

That's because $395,000 worth of cash was taken in 2022, compared to $4890 in 2023.

That was despite the number of cash theft offences dropping by just four.

There was also a significant difference in livestock theft with $26,600 worth stolen in 2023, down from close to $100,000 the year before.

Meanwhile Moyne experienced a significant spike in the value of nicked livestock - $6700 in 2022 and $180,000 the following year.

Across the region power tools and cash were commonly stolen with a combined value of almost $300,000.

But Detective Sergeant Andrew Raven said thefts and break-ins led to more than just material and financial loss.

"It affects people in a lot of ways," he said.

"It can leave them feeling violated if someone has been inside their house and rifled through their belongings. If someone lives alone they become frightened, hyper-vigilant and fear it will happen again.

"People deserve to be safe inside their own home."

But the detective said the community could protect themselves against theft.

"We speak about this all the time - the need to lock your doors and windows and secure your personal items," he said.

"We had thefts from motor vehicles over the weekend where not one of the cars was locked and valuables were left inside - wallets, keys, electronic devices.

"We're even seeing an increase in aggravated burglaries where the front and back door might be left locked but a side or garage door isn't. We don't want to victim blame or people to feel unsafe in their own home but that's the reality of it."

Detective Sergeant Raven said the criminal investigation unit didn't see a lot of forced entry into cars.

"It's opportunistic," he said.

"Thieves are getting around in the middle of the night, checking cars and doors as they go and then hitting the jackpot when valuables and money are left inside."

Across the state the rate of recorded offences increased by 5.6 per cent with the main driver being theft, particularly from motor vehicles.

Crime Statistics Agency chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said the state's upturn in most key crime measures was due to increases in high volume property and deception offences, particularity in in thefts from motor vehicles and retail stores.

"An increase in these acquisitive offence types reflects in part a return to pre-pandemic trends, but also is in line with current cost of living pressures," she said.