Car thefts nearly double in three years, as crime continues to rise

Crime in Victoria is at its highest rate since 2016, driven largely by theft, but police analysis suggests some types of offending are beginning to stabilise after several years of sharp increases.

In 2025, the rate of crime was 8885.5 offences per 100,000 people, an increase of 2.4 per cent on 2024. Overall 630,592 offences were recorded in the state last year, an increase of 25,250 offences, or 4.2 per cent.

Victoria Police said the 2.4 per cent increase was a positive sign crime was beginning to become more controlled, after years of a surging crime rate. From 2022 to 2025 the crime rate increased by more than 19 per cent.

However, Deputy Commissioner (regional operations) Bob Hill said a major reduction in overall crime was unlikely to happen soon, due to ongoing problems like the cost-of-living recidivism and the increased use of technology.

“While it’s heartening that crime appears to be stabilising, it will take time before offending reduces to levels more traditionally seen in Victoria,” Hill said.

“With 230,213 different victims of crime, we are seeing far too many innocent community members harmed.

“This is simply not acceptable as we want Victorians to not only be safe but feel safe in their community.”

A total of 26,645 people were arrested a combined 78,014 times in 2025, highlighting that repeat offenders remain a problem, despite law changes designed to put and keep more people behind bars.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said the crime rate was still too high and attributed the slowing growth of Victoria’s crime rate to new hard on youth crime laws passed by Labor last year.

“We’re seeing growth fall. This is really important, and what it shows is that our reforms: adult time for violent crime, our violence reduction unit, the reorganisation of Victoria Police to get them out from behind desks and out on the front line … continues to roll out in the community,” Carbines said on Thursday morning.

However, the head of the police union said crime would continue to increase until more officers were recruited.

“The only aspect of crime in Victoria that shows a steady downward trajectory is the number of police in our communities fighting it,” said Wayne Gatt, the secretary of the Police Association Victoria.

“We’ve long said that as police numbers decline, crime rises. Here we are again. If you want to tackle the problem, start recruiting the solution.”

Theft accounts for one-third of crime and was the biggest driver in the increase in the number of offences committed. Police said the cost of living suggested this was unlikely to reduce.

More than 32,000 cars were stolen in 2025, the highest level since 2001, forcing police to reconsider their approach to addressing this crime.

Since 2022, there has been a 96.9 per cent increase in the number of stolen cars, and an 83.97 per cent increase in the rate of stolen vehicles per 100,000 people.

In the 2025 financial year, Victoria recorded its largest annual increase in motor vehicle theft claims, up 59 per cent, with more than 12,000 claims made totalling $223 million overall, according to the Insurance Council of Australia.

With Daniella White

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