Melbourne, VIC 3181 Crime Rate: Is it safe?

According to the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) Victoria, Melbourne crime rate for the year ending June 2022 was 36865 incidents per 100,000 population. This represents a 3% decrease from the previous year.

Melbourne Crime Index

2

(100 is safest)

Safer than 2% of most Australia suburbs

Melbourne Crime Map

Is Melbourne Safe?

Melbourne has low safety metrics. Crime rates in Melbourne are considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia. Melbourne is safer than 2% of all Australian suburbs and than 2% of Victoria suburbs. However, obtain benefit by deception is a common offence in Melbourne.

Melbourne Crime Statistics at a Glance

Has Crime in Melbourne 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 Melbourne.

• The number of criminal incidents recorded by Victoria Police in the year 2022 was 20248, down 3% from 20921 incidents recorded in the same period last year.

• Melbourne is in the 2nd percentile for safety, meaning 98% of Victoria suburbs are safer than Melbourne and 2% of suburbs are more dangerous than Melbourne.

• Common crime: obtain benefit by deception.

• The number of assault offences recorded in 2022 increased by 6% (104 Incidents) compared to the previous year..

• The number of deception offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 33% (1167 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of burglary offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 3% (22 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of theft offences recorded in 2022 increased by 8% (394 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of robbery offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 1% (1 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of motor vehicle thefts recorded in 2022 increased by 26% (73 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of vandalism offences (Property damage) recorded in 2022 increased by 28% (244 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

Crime in Melbourne: An In-Depth Analysis

According to AU Crime Rate’s analysis of the latest crime statistics from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) Victoria, Melbourne is ranked safer than 2% of the suburbs across Australia, regardless of population size. That means that Melbourne crime rate is considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia.

In Victoria, only about 98% of suburbs have a lower crime rate than Melbourne. As a result, Melbourne has low scores in public safety metrics.

If you are a resident of Melbourne, your chance of becoming a victim of crime is 1 in 3 (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 Melbourne’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 Melbourne’s overall crime rate. So, are you curious to learn more about Melbourne’s crime data and what they reveal about the suburb’s safety and security? Let’s dive in!

AU Crime Rate’s analysis reveals that against the person crime rate in Melbourne is 5113 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 Melbourne is 1 in 19. 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 Melbourne is 1 in 5. This is equal to a rate of 17200 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!

Melbourne Crime Rates by Offences Division

Melbourne 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: Melbourne 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 Melbourne. Here is Victoria’s total data for these offences can be used as a benchmark for comparison.

Melbourne 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: Melbourne vs Victoria, Australia

Here is a breakdown of Melbourne 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: Melbourne 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: Melbourne vs Victoria

Melbourne Crimes per Square KM

What’s the most common crime in Melbourne?

According to the latest available data from the Crime Statistics Agency of Victoria (CSA), the most common type of crime in Melbourne is obtain benefit by deception.

What is the crime rate in Melbourne?

The overall crime rate in Melbourne, as measured by the number of reported offences per 100,000 population was 36865 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 Melbourne a safe place to live in?

Melbourne is safer than 2% of suburbs across Australia and the crime rates are considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia. Compared to Victoria suburbs, Melbourne is safer than 2% of other suburbs in the state which are considered low safety scores in Victoria.

Total Crime Stats of Melbourne

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