Ebike thefts soar in NSW as Victoria’s crime rate drops for first time in four years

The rise in stealing in New South Wales was driven by a 27% increase in the theft of ebikes. Photograph: Ageev Rostislav/Alamy

Victoria has recorded its first drop in crime in four years and fewer young people are offending, but a surge in theft is bucking the trend – mirroring concerns in New South Wales, where a sharp rise in ebike theft has helped drive stealing rates higher.

The Victorian Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) on Thursday released data for the 12 months to March 2026, which showed there were 625,426 criminal offences recorded in Victoria – a decrease of 1,524 or 0.2% on the previous 12 months.