Geelong city, VIC Crime Rate By Suburb: Is it safe?

According to the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) Victoria, Geelong crime rate for the year ending June 2022 was 9506 incidents per 100,000 population. This represents a 4% decrease from the previous year.

Geelong Crime Index

37

(100 is safest)

Safer than 37% of most Australia cities

Geelong Crime Map

Is Geelong Safe?

Geelong has moderate safety metrics. Crime rates in Geelong are quite a bit higher than the average of Australian urban areas. Geelong is safer than 37% of all Australian communities and than 29% of Victoria cities and towns. However, breach family violence order is a common offence in Geelong.

Geelong Crime Statistics at a Glance

Has Crime in Geelong city increased or decreased in the past 5 years? The chart below shows the 60-month historical trend of the number of offences that occurred in Geelong.

• The number of criminal incidents recorded by Victoria Police in the year 2022 was 17134, down 4% from 17872 incidents recorded in the same period last year.

• Geelong is in the 29th percentile for safety, meaning 71% of Victoria urban areas are safer than Geelong and 29% of urban areas are more dangerous than Geelong.

• Common crime: breach family violence order.

• Safest suburb in Geelong city: St Albans Park suburb.

• Top areas to avoid in Geelong city (bad areas): Geelong suburb.

• The number of assault offences recorded in 2022 increased by 6% (99 Incidents) compared to the previous year..

• The number of deception offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 17% (162 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of burglary offences recorded in 2022 increased by 11% (118 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of theft offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 5% (266 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of robbery offences recorded in 2022 increased by 20% (16 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of motor vehicle thefts recorded in 2022 increased by 4% (19 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of vandalism offences (Property damage) recorded in 2022 decreased by 5% (82 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

Crime in Geelong: An In-Depth Analysis

According to AU Crime Rate’s analysis of the latest crime statistics from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) Victoria, Geelong city is ranked safer than 37% of the cities and towns across Australia, regardless of population size. That means that Geelong crime rate is quite a bit higher than the average of Australian urban areas.

In Victoria, only about 71% of communities have a lower crime rate than Geelong. As a result, Geelong has moderate scores in public safety metrics.

If you are a resident of Geelong city, your chance of becoming a victim of crime is 1 in 15 (based on the total crime rate of crimes against the person and property combined) while the Victoria average is 1 in 19.

Let’s take a closer look at Geelong’s crime statistics and see how it fares in terms of crimes against person and property crimes. This information is crucial because it can shed light on whether violent or property crimes or both, are the primary factors driving Geelong’s overall crime rate. So, are you curious to learn more about Geelong’s crime data and what they reveal about the community’s safety and security? Let’s dive in!

AU Crime Rate’s analysis reveals that against the person crime rate in Geelong is 1628 per one hundred thousand inhabitants while the Victoria average rate is 1247. So, one’s chances of becoming a victim of crimes against the person in Geelong is 1 in 60. The crimes against the person included in this analysis are homicide, assault, robbery, dangerous and negligent acts endangering people, stalking, harassment, and threatening behaviour.

From our analysis, we discovered that your odds of becoming a victim of a property crime, if you live in Geelong, is 1 in 20. This is equal to a rate of 4787 per one hundred thousand residents compared to a rate of 3580 per 100,000 residents for Victoria state. It’s worth mentioning that the property crimes tracked here include theft, burglary, arson, deception, bribery and damage to property.

Want to understand criminal offences in Victoria and make sense of crime data? Our easy-to-understand crime glossary provides definitions for Victoria’s common criminal offences. Check it out and get the inside scoop on crime in Victoria!

Geelong Crime Rates by Offences Division

Geelong Crimes Against the Person

These are violent crimes against people whether these are family violence or non-family violence. Basically, if someone does something to hurt or scare another person, it’s considered a crime against the person. This includes:

• Assault and related offences: There are different types of assault, like serious assault, which is when someone causes really serious injuries as a result of a physical attack, and assault on police, emergency services or other authorised officers, which is when someone attacks a cop or a paramedic or someone doing their job. There’s also common assault, which is like when someone threatens to punch you or makes you feel scared for your safety.
• Robbery: There are two types of robbery or mugging: aggravated and non-aggravated. Aggravated robbery is when someone uses a weapon like a knife or a firearm (armed robbery) or causes serious harm to the victim during the robbery, like hitting them with a bat or a gun. Non-aggravated robbery is when someone doesn’t use a weapon or cause serious harm during the robbery but still uses force or the threat of force to take something from the victim.
• Dangerous and negligent acts endangering people: These refer to behaviours or actions that put others at risk of harm or injury due to carelessness or recklessness. Examples of dangerous and negligent acts include driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, not properly securing a load on a vehicle that could fall and cause an accident, leaving hazardous materials unattended, and failing to maintain a property in a safe condition.
• Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour: This represents harassing or threatening someone based on their race, skin colour, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability, in what’s known as hate crimes. It also includes insulting someone, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Crime Against the Person

Crimes Against the Person Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Crimes Against the Person: Geelong vs Victoria

It’s important to note that the crime rates for sexual offences and homicide are not included in the previously mentioned data for Geelong. Here is Victoria’s total data for these offences can be used as a benchmark for comparison.

Geelong Property and Deception Offences

These are crimes related to stealing or damaging property or deceiving someone for personal gain. Property crimes include:

• Theft: It can be committed in various forms such as shoplifting, stealing from a person’s home, or taking a vehicle without permission. Other examples include stealing a bicycle, snatching a purse, or taking items from an unattended bag.
• Burglary (unlawful entry): Aggravated and non-aggravated burglaries are examples of burglary. Aggravated burglary involves the use of weapons, threats, or violence during the break-in, while non-aggravated burglary does not involve such factors.
• Arson: Arson is a criminal act of intentionally setting fire to a property, building, or forest (bushfire)  without lawful or justifiable reason.
• Property damage: This refers to intentional or accidental harm caused to someone else’s property, such as vandalism, or graffiti.
• Deception: This is a broad category of offences that includes various examples. These include forgery and counterfeiting, deceptive business practices, professional malpractice and misrepresentation, and other similar offences. Additionally, it includes obtaining benefits by deception, possessing equipment to make a false instrument, and stating false information. All of these crimes involve intentionally deceiving others for personal gain or causing harm to others through fraudulent means.
• Bribery: Sneaky shortcut to get ahead by taking advantage of someone’s position or power.

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of Property and Deception Offences

Property and Deception Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Property and Deception Offences: Geelong vs Victoria, Australia

Here is a breakdown of Geelong crime rate and offences count for the major property and deception offences.

Drug Offences

Drug offences are illegal activities involving drugs like possession, trafficking, and manufacturing. It can involve both illicit and legal drugs like prescription medicines used improperly.

Drug Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Drug Offences: Geelong vs Victoria

Public Order and Security Offences

Public order and security offences refer to crimes that threaten the safety and security of the community, such as disorderly conduct, possession of illegal weapons, public intoxication, and disturbing the peace. These offences can also include crimes that disrupt the functioning of society, like rioting, protesting without a permit, and obstructing traffic.

Public Order and Security Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Public Order and Security Offences: Geelong vs Victoria

Geelong Crimes per Square KM

What’s the most common crime in Geelong city?

According to the latest available data from the Crime Statistics Agency of Victoria (CSA), the most common type of crime in Geelong is breach family violence order.

What is the crime rate in Geelong city?

The overall crime rate in Geelong city, as measured by the number of reported offences per 100,000 population was 9506 in the year ending June 2022.

However, it’s important to note that this is an aggregate figure that includes all types of crime, and some types of offences are more prevalent than others. Additionally, crime rates can vary by location, with some areas experiencing higher rates of certain types of crime than others.

Is Geelong city a safe place to live in?

Geelong city is safer than 37% of cities and towns across Australia and the crime rates are quite a bit higher than the average of Australian urban areas. Compared to Victoria cities, Geelong city is safer than 29% of other communities in the state which are considered moderate safety scores in Victoria.

What suburb has the highest crime rate in Geelong city?

Geelong is the suburb with the highest rate of reported criminal incidents in Geelong city with a rate of 52084 incidents per 100,000 population, according to CSA 2022 data. Yet, Geelong suburb is safer than 1% of Victoria suburbs.

What is the safest suburb in Geelong city?

St Albans Park is the safest suburb in Geelong city with a rate of 2964 incidents per 100,000 population as per CSA report. St Albans Park suburb is safer than 29% of Victoria suburbs.

However, it’s important to note that low crime rates do not necessarily guarantee safety, and that crime can occur anywhere, so it’s important to always stay vigilant and take appropriate safety measures.

Geelong Crime Rate by Suburb

Note: This article doesn’t have detailed data for family violence, victims, female offenders, reoffending, sexual offences, stalking, and youth crime. For more information about these topics, check our resources page.

References

• Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) Victoria
• Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census QuickStats for all persons
• Victoria Police