A youth crime wave has engulfed Victoria as data shows offences committed by children as young as 10 have increased more than 40 per cent.
Kids aged 10 to 14 were responsible for at least 6418 offences across the state during the 12 months to April, an increase of almost 45 per cent on the previous year.
The latest Crime Statistics Agency figures show burglaries committed by the same age group spiked by almost 87 per cent.
The most common age group responsible for committing aggravated home burglaries was youths aged 15 to 17, which Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said was alarming.
About 90 per cent of offenders committing aggravated burglaries across the state are aged 13 to 19.
"Our priority at the moment is aggravated burglaries," Mr Nugent told reporters on Thursday.
"They are up considerably and really since mid last year have gone to a whole new level and that is quite concerning for us."
Mr Nugent said there had been a considerable shift in the reason these crimes were committed.
Aggravated burglaries used to mostly involve parties known to each other and were drug or gang-related.
The purpose was to steal property such as laptops, TVs, wallets and other valuables from inside homes but a recent shift has seen more focus on accessing keys for top-end cars.
Offenders are often motivated by social media, where videos of dangerous joy riding and other illegal activities are posted and shared.
"In the past, youth offenders commonly steal cars from shopping centres, railway stations, other public areas, maybe out the front of a house on the street or the driveway," Mr Nugent said.
"Target hardening of vehicles makes them much more difficult to steal, particularly top-end, so they want the keys.
"They don't want a confrontation.
"They want to sneak in and get the keys and go out so they take the car."
Opposition crime prevention spokesman Brad Battin said Premier Daniel Andrews was failing young Victorians.
"The Andrews government is failing at-risk young Victorians and the broader community is being punished as a result," he said.
"Every Victorian deserves to be and feel safe in their own home, yet under the Andrews government's approach of cuts and neglect, things are getting worse, not better."
A Victoria Police campaign known as Operation Trinity has been established with a focus on tackling aggravated burglaries at night.
About 202 people have been arrested in relation to the theft of top-end cars in the past two months.
In the past 12 months, police have arrested youth gang members more than 1500 times, with 3400 charges laid as part of the Operation Alliance blitz.
The state government announced on Tuesday it would close Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre at the end of the year.
