Victoria’s crime rate surges with young offenders contributing to record arrests

Victorian police said it was the third consecutive quarter where they recorded ‘the most arrests since electronic records began’. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

Victoria’s crime rate has increased by 15%, with cost-of-living pressures contributing to a rise in theft and youth offenders singled out as responsible for the majority of robberies.

The Crime Statistics Agency on Thursday released data showing 627,268 criminal offences were recorded in Victoria in the 12 months to March 2025 – a 17.1% increase from the previous year. When adjusted for population, the crime rate per 100,000 people was 8,838.7, marking a 15.2% rise.