According to the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) Victoria, Preston crime rate for the year ending June 2022 was 11797 incidents per 100,000 population. This represents a 14% decrease from the previous year.

Preston Crime Index

9

(100 is safest)

Safer than 9% of most Australia suburbs

Preston Crime Map

Preston crime map

Is Preston Safe?

Preston has low safety metrics. Crime rates in Preston are considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia. Preston is safer than 9% of all Australian suburbs and than 11% of Victoria suburbs. However, steal from a retail store is a common offence in Preston.

Preston Crime Statistics at a Glance

Has Crime in Preston 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 Preston.

60-month trend of criminal incidents across Preston
  • The number of criminal incidents recorded by Victoria Police in the year 2022 was 3976, down 14% from 4641 incidents recorded in the same period last year.
  • Preston is in the 11st percentile for safety, meaning 89% of Victoria suburbs are safer than Preston and 11% of suburbs are more dangerous than Preston.
  • Common crime: steal from a retail store.
  • The number of assault offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 5% (15 Incidents) compared to the previous year..
  • The number of deception offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 10% (47 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
  • The number of burglary offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 6% (12 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
  • The number of theft offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 10% (183 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
  • The number of robbery offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 4% (1 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
  • The number of motor vehicle thefts recorded in 2022 decreased by 6% (9 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
  • The number of vandalism offences (Property damage) recorded in 2022 decreased by 13% (40 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

Thinking of moving to Preston?

Experience the ease of moving with Muval, the ‘Uber for removals,’ backed by over 35,000 successful moves. Tap into Australia’s largest network of verified removalists nationwide. Compare prices & reviews, book, and move smoothly with Muval now!

Crime in Preston: An In-Depth Analysis

According to AU Crime Rate’s analysis of the latest crime statistics from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) Victoria, Preston is ranked safer than 9% of the suburbs across Australia, regardless of population size. That means that Preston crime rate is considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia.

In Victoria, only about 89% of suburbs have a lower crime rate than Preston. As a result, Preston has low scores in public safety metrics.

If you are a resident of Preston, your chance of becoming a victim of crime is 1 in 10 (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 Preston’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 Preston’s overall crime rate. So, are you curious to learn more about Preston’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 Preston is 1510 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 Preston is 1 in 65. 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 Preston is 1 in 12. This is equal to a rate of 7542 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!

Preston Crime Rates by Offences Division

DivisionNumber of CrimesCrime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)
Crimes against the person5091510
Property and deception offences25427542
Drug offences281834
Public order and security offences204605
Justice procedures offences3881151
Other offences52154
Total397611797

Preston 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

1 in 65

In Preston

1 in 78

In Victoria

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

Violent crimes against the person in Preston vs Victoria in Australia

Crimes Against the Person: Preston vs Victoria

Preston population: 33703

Victoria population: 6503491

CrimesTotal Criminal IncidentsVIC Total Criminal IncidentsCrime Rate (per 100,000 residents)VIC Crime Rate (per 100,000 residents)
Assault and related offences31345391884689
Robbery2523507436
Dangerous and negligent acts endangering people35629310496
Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour10113324300202

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

CrimesVictoria Total Criminal incidentsVIC Crime Rate (Per 100,000 residents)
Homicide and related offences1983
Sexual offences13576206

Preston 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

1 in 12

In Preston

1 in 27

In Victoria

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

Property offences in Preston vs Victoria

Property and Deception Offences: Preston vs Victoria, Australia

Preston population: 33703

Victoria population: 6503491

CrimesTotal Criminal IncidentsVIC Total Criminal IncidentsCrime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)VIC Crime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)
Property damage27338352810582
Burglary/Break and enter20429621605449
Theft163713866848572103
Arson2521247432
Deception403272751196414
Bribery0300.05

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

CrimesNo. of offencesRate
Motor vehicle theft137406
Steal from motor vehicle3731107
Steal from retail store5491629
Aggravated burglary1647
Non-aggravated burglary188558

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 in Preston vs VIC

Drug Offences: Preston vs Victoria

CrimesTotal Criminal IncidentsVIC Total Criminal IncidentsCrime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)VIC Crime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)
Drug use and possession22924069679365
Drug dealing and trafficking2137346257
Cultivate or manufacture drugs2617167726
Other drug offences5493158

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 comparison chart

Public Order and Security Offences: Preston vs Victoria

CrimesTotal Criminal IncidentsVIC Total Criminal IncidentsCrime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)VIC Crime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)
Public nuisance offences3039188959
Disorderly and offensive conduct559174163139
Public security offences037506
Weapons and explosives offences11914941353227

Preston Crimes per Square KM

Crimes per square km in Preston vs VIC

What’s the most common crime in Preston?

According to the latest available data from the Crime Statistics Agency of Victoria (CSA), the most common type of crime in Preston is steal from a retail store.

What is the crime rate in Preston?

The overall crime rate in Preston, as measured by the number of reported offences per 100,000 population was 11797 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 Preston a safe place to live in?

Preston is safer than 9% of suburbs across Australia and the crime rates are considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia. Compared to Victoria suburbs, Preston is safer than 11% of other suburbs in the state which are considered low safety scores in Victoria.

Total Crime Stats of Preston

Offence DivisionOffence SubdivisionOffence GroupYear (2021)Year (2022)
A Crimes against the personA20 Assault and related offencesFamily violence serious assault3929
A Crimes against the personA20 Assault and related offencesNon-Family violence serious assault6160
A Crimes against the personA20 Assault and related offencesFamily violence common assault6169
A Crimes against the personA20 Assault and related offencesNon-family violence common assault111107
A Crimes against the personA20 Assault and related offencesA22 Assault police, emergency services or other authorised officer4133
A Crimes against the personA50 RobberyA51 Aggravated robbery2220
A Crimes against the personA50 RobberyA52 Non-aggravated robbery45
A Crimes against the personA70 Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviourFamily violence stalking56
A Crimes against the personA70 Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviourNon-Family violence stalking88
A Crimes against the personA70 Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviourFamily violence threatening behaviour2322
A Crimes against the personA70 Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviourNon-Family violence threatening behaviour2941
A Crimes against the personA70 Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviourFamily violence harassment and private nuisance618
A Crimes against the personA70 Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviourNon-Family harassment and private nuisance136
A Crimes against the personA80 Dangerous and negligent acts endangering peopleA81 Dangerous driving1014
A Crimes against the personA80 Dangerous and negligent acts endangering peopleA82 Neglect or ill treatment of people01
A Crimes against the personA80 Dangerous and negligent acts endangering peopleA83 Throw or discharge object endangering people95
A Crimes against the personA80 Dangerous and negligent acts endangering peopleA89 Other dangerous or negligent acts endangering people2115
B Property and deception offencesB10 ArsonB11 Cause damage by fire2624
B Property and deception offencesB10 ArsonB12 Cause a bushfire01
B Property and deception offencesB10 ArsonB19 Other fire related offences00
B Property and deception offencesB20 Property damageB21 Criminal damage259239
B Property and deception offencesB20 Property damageB22 Graffiti3729
B Property and deception offencesB20 Property damageB29 Other property damage offences175
B Property and deception offencesB30 Burglary/Break and enterB31 Aggravated burglaryn.a.16
B Property and deception offencesB30 Burglary/Break and enterB32 Non-aggravated burglaryn.a.188
B Property and deception offencesB40 TheftB41 Motor vehicle theft146137
B Property and deception offencesB40 TheftB42 Steal from a motor vehiclen.a.373
B Property and deception offencesB40 TheftB43 Steal from a retail store578549
B Property and deception offencesB40 TheftB44 Theft of a bicycle6555
B Property and deception offencesB40 TheftB45 Receiving or handling stolen goods226186
B Property and deception offencesB40 TheftB46 Fare evasion01
B Property and deception offencesB40 TheftB49 Other theft348336
B Property and deception offencesB50 DeceptionB51 Forgery and counterfeiting3927
B Property and deception offencesB50 DeceptionB52 Possess equipment to make false instrument00
B Property and deception offencesB50 DeceptionB53 Obtain benefit by deception396357
B Property and deception offencesB50 DeceptionB54 State false information126
B Property and deception offencesB50 DeceptionB55 Deceptive business practices00
B Property and deception offencesB50 DeceptionB56 Professional malpractice and misrepresentation15
B Property and deception offencesB50 DeceptionB59 Other deception offences28
B Property and deception offencesB60 BriberyB61 Bribery of officials00
C Drug offencesC10 Drug dealing and traffickingC11 Drug dealing00
C Drug offencesC10 Drug dealing and traffickingC12 Drug trafficking3721
C Drug offencesC20 Cultivate or manufacture drugsC21 Cultivate drugs411
C Drug offencesC20 Cultivate or manufacture drugsC22 Manufacture drugs00
C Drug offencesC20 Cultivate or manufacture drugsC23 Possess drug manufacturing equipment or precursor1315
C Drug offencesC30 Drug use and possessionC31 Drug use21
C Drug offencesC30 Drug use and possessionC32 Drug possession269228
C Drug offencesC90 Other drug offencesC99 Other drug offences05
D Public order and security offencesD10 Weapons and explosives offencesD11 Firearms offences2819
D Public order and security offencesD10 Weapons and explosives offencesD12 Prohibited and controlled weapons offences12199
D Public order and security offencesD10 Weapons and explosives offencesD13 Explosives offences01
D Public order and security offencesD20 Disorderly and offensive conductD21 Riot and affray1014
D Public order and security offencesD20 Disorderly and offensive conductD22 Drunk and disorderly in public1511
D Public order and security offencesD20 Disorderly and offensive conductD23 Offensive conduct720
D Public order and security offencesD20 Disorderly and offensive conductD24 Offensive language70
D Public order and security offencesD20 Disorderly and offensive conductD25 Criminal intent1710
D Public order and security offencesD20 Disorderly and offensive conductD26 Disorderly conduct10
D Public order and security offencesD30 Public nuisance offencesD31 Privacy offences00
D Public order and security offencesD30 Public nuisance offencesD32 Hoaxes41
D Public order and security offencesD30 Public nuisance offencesD33 Begging00
D Public order and security offencesD30 Public nuisance offencesD34 Defamation and libeln.a.0
D Public order and security offencesD30 Public nuisance offencesD35 Improper movement on public or private space2029
D Public order and security offencesD30 Public nuisance offencesD36 Other public nuisance offences00
D Public order and security offencesD40 Public security offencesD41 Immigration offences00
D Public order and security offencesD40 Public security offencesD43 Hacking00
D Public order and security offencesD40 Public security offencesD44 Terrorism offences00
D Public order and security offencesD40 Public security offencesD49 Other public security offences00
E Justice procedures offencesE10 Justice proceduresE11 Escape custodyn.a.0
E Justice procedures offencesE10 Justice proceduresE12 Fail to appear00
E Justice procedures offencesE10 Justice proceduresE13 Resist or hinder officer8374
E Justice procedures offencesE10 Justice proceduresE14 Pervert the course of justice or commit perjury46
E Justice procedures offencesE10 Justice proceduresE15 Prison regulation offences41
E Justice procedures offencesE10 Justice proceduresE19 Other justice procedures offences94
E Justice procedures offencesE20 Breaches of ordersE21 Breach family violence order246211
E Justice procedures offencesE20 Breaches of ordersE22 Breach intervention order8418
E Justice procedures offencesE20 Breaches of ordersE23 Breach bail conditions3969
E Justice procedures offencesE20 Breaches of ordersE29 Breach of other orders25
F Other offencesF10 Regulatory driving offencesF11 Drink drivingn.a.0
F Other offencesF10 Regulatory driving offencesF12 Drug driving0n.a.
F Other offencesF10 Regulatory driving offencesF15 Licensing offencesn.a.0
F Other offencesF10 Regulatory driving offencesF19 Other regulatory driving offences00
F Other offencesF20 Transport regulation offencesF21 Public transport11
F Other offencesF20 Transport regulation offencesF22 Aviation regulations offences01
F Other offencesF20 Transport regulation offencesF23 Maritime regulations offences00
F Other offencesF20 Transport regulation offencesF24 Pedestrian offences00
F Other offencesF20 Transport regulation offencesF29 Other transport regulation offences00
F Other offencesF30 Other government regulatory offencesF31 Betting and gaming offences00
F Other offencesF30 Other government regulatory offencesF32 Commercial regulation offences00
F Other offencesF30 Other government regulatory offencesF33 Liquor and tobacco licensing offences00
F Other offencesF30 Other government regulatory offencesF34 Pornography and censorship offences00
F Other offencesF30 Other government regulatory offencesF36 Prostitution offences00
F Other offencesF30 Other government regulatory offencesF39 Other government regulatory offences21
F Other offencesF90 Miscellaneous offencesF91 Environmental offences50
F Other offencesF90 Miscellaneous offencesF92 Public health and safety offences25248
F Other offencesF90 Miscellaneous offencesF93 Cruelty to animals01
F Other offencesF90 Miscellaneous offencesF94 Dangerous substance offences00
F Other offencesF90 Miscellaneous offencesF99 Other miscellaneous offences00

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

Greater Capital City Statistical Area

Greater Melbourne

State

Victoria