A Complex Picture of Public Safety in Victoria

Violent offences across the rail network increased by 33% since COVID-19 lockdowns ended, while the state's overall crime rate fell for the first time since 2022.

Victoria Police has announced a major restructuring of Protective Services Officer (PSO) patrols on the rail network, occurring against a backdrop of overall crime rate changes, rising vehicle theft, and regional variations in violent crime.

Protective Services Officer Deployment Changes

Victoria Police will redeploy PSOs from 119 suburban railway stations. Beginning April 19, 2026, and phased in over six months, the changes are as follows:

High-Risk Stations (32 stations)

Officers will patrol platforms from 9am until the last service — an expansion from the previous 6pm start. These stations include the CBD hubs (Southern Cross, Flinders Street) and suburban stops such as Dandenong, Sunshine, Footscray, Frankston, and Ringwood.

Lower-Crime Stations (72 stations)

A permanent nightly presence will continue from 6pm.

Remaining Stations

Officers will operate in mobile clusters, with each team covering up to six stations. PSOs will ride trains between stations.

"It makes no sense to have PSOs stuck at smaller, less busy stations when they could have more impact aboard the train at these locations."
— Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Hermans

Hermans added that PSOs "will remain out across the network until the last train service each night."

A Victoria Police spokesperson stated that the changes reflect differing crime patterns, patronage levels, and police callouts across stations. Transport official Jeroen Weimar stated that internal data indicated commuters were traveling safely across the public transport network, while acknowledging the ongoing need to ensure safety.

A Victorian government spokesperson stated that the new deployment model reflects changing crime patterns since PSO introduction in 2012, allowing police and PSOs to be deployed where they are most needed.

Criticism and Concerns

Opposition police spokesperson Brad Battin criticized the redeployment and requested the release of the list of affected stations. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson previously criticized reducing PSO presence at suburban stations and has promised to recruit an additional 200 PSOs if elected.

Some public transport researchers and Police Association of Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt expressed concerns that reducing the static presence of PSOs at smaller stations could affect commuter safety. Gatt suggested that a visible, static police presence deters crime.

Nightly PSO patrols were introduced to all Melbourne railway stations in 2010.

Rail Network Crime Data

Victoria Police data shows violent offences across the rail network increased by 33% since COVID-19 lockdowns ended, from 1,174 offenses in 2022 to 1,561 in 2025. This rise occurred despite permanent PSO patrols at all 216 metropolitan stations and four V/Line stations daily from 6pm until the last train.

Major Transport Hubs — Highest Offense Numbers (2025)

These two stations collectively accounted for over 20% of all station-based violent crimes statewide.

Other Notable Stations (2025)

• Dandenong — 62 offenses
• Sunshine — 43 offenses
• Footscray — 40 offenses
• Richmond — 24 offenses
• South Morang — 26 offenses

Some Stations Saw Decreases

Frankston station recorded the largest drop, from 51 offenses in 2024 to 36 last year. Dandenong had 12 fewer offenses than the previous year.

79 stations recorded no crimes against the person in 2024. 101 stations recorded fewer than six crimes against the person in 2024.

Passenger Numbers Rising

Passenger numbers on metro and V/Line services rose by 22%, from approximately 162 million in the 2022-23 financial year to 198 million in 2024-25.

The data precedes the death of 22-year-old Aidan Becker, who was killed at Mernda station after intervening in an armed robbery. Police state the incident occurred 10 minutes before PSOs were scheduled to begin their patrol at the station.

Overall Crime Trends in Victoria

According to the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA), Victoria's overall crime rate fell by just under 2% in the 12 months to March 2026. Total recorded criminal offences: 625,426, a decrease of 0.2% from the previous 12 months. This was the first drop since 2022.

However, the 2025 calendar year saw Victoria's crime rate reach its highest level since 2016, recording 8,885.5 offences per 100,000 people. This represented a 2.4% increase from 2024. Overall, 630,592 offences were recorded in 2025, a 4.2% increase from 2024. From 2022 to 2025, the crime rate increased by over 19%.

Youth Crime

Youth offending declined for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 22,654 alleged offences involving young people, a decrease of 6% from the previous year. The number of first-time youth offenders dropped by more than 1,000, reaching the lowest rate in over 10 years.

However, young people accounted for 60% of robberies, 55% of carjackings, 49% of home invasions, and 48% of aggravated burglaries.

Adult Crime

Adult crime rose by 10%, attributed by CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley to increases in breaches of bail, retail theft, and breaches of family violence orders.

Theft and Vehicle Crime

Theft was a primary driver of the increase in offences, constituting one-third of all reported crimes. Total thefts increased by 6.3% to more than 44,000 alleged incidents. Over half of the 44,000 theft incidents involved theft from a retail store, up 11.7% year-on-year.

Over 32,000 cars were stolen in 2025 — the highest number since 2001-02. This represents a 96.9% increase in stolen vehicles since 2022. Police stated car theft remains "far too high" and more than double the level of four years ago. New intelligence indicates that 30-40% of stolen cars are taken using electronic key-cloning devices.

The Insurance Council of Australia reported a 59% rise in motor vehicle theft insurance claims in Victoria for the 2024-25 financial year, totaling over 12,000 claims and $223 million.

Aggravated Burglaries in Affluent Suburbs

According to figures from the Crime Statistics Agency, the council areas of Boroondara, Bayside, and Stonnington recorded a 10-year high in residential aggravated burglary rates in 2025. A residential burglary is classified as aggravated if a person is home at the time of the offense.

The statewide incident rate for residential aggravated burglaries was 88.1 per 100,000 people in 2025, up from 56.1 in 2016.

Repeat Offending

In 2025, 26,645 individuals were arrested a combined total of 78,014 times. Among these, 1,200 underage offenders accounted for more than 7,000 arrests.

Weapons Seizures

A record 17,400 knives and machetes were seized in 2025, despite a three-month machete amnesty.

Official Statements and Analysis

"Victoria's crime wave appeared to have peaked."
— CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley, citing a 16% fall in burglaries as a promising sign

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill stated that the 2.4% increase is a sign that the crime rate may be stabilizing. He noted that a major reduction in overall crime is not anticipated soon due to ongoing factors such as the cost-of-living, recidivism, and increased use of technology. Hill stated that overall crime remains "far higher than both police and the community would like." He stated that with 230,213 different victims of crime recorded in 2025, too many community members are being harmed.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines described crime as "unacceptably high" but credited the government's "adult time for violent crime" policy and tougher bail laws for the reduction in overall offending. He attributed the slower growth in the crime rate to new youth crime laws.

RMIT criminologist Dr. Brianna Chesser stated that the crime rates in prestige suburbs are linked to organized groups targeting areas with high-value items.

Wayne Gatt, secretary of the Police Association Victoria, asserted that crime would continue to increase unless more police officers are recruited, highlighting 1,500 current vacancies. Deputy Commissioner Hill countered that these vacancies are not responsible for the crime increase, stating that internal police reorganization has maintained street-level policing levels.

"With 230,213 different victims of crime recorded in 2025, too many community members are being harmed."
— Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Bob Hill

A Victorian government spokesman acknowledged more work is needed on community safety and stated that reforms are showing results, with growth in serious crime slowing and record bail refusals occurring.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson stated that if elected, her government would recruit 3,000 new police officers, stating that under the current government, crime is at an all-time high.

Shadow Police Minister Brad Battin criticized the government, saying crime is up and police shortages are worsening.

Stonnington Council mayor Melina Sehr expressed concern about the rise in aggravated burglaries and stated that all levels of government have a role in crime prevention.

A Boroondara council spokesperson encouraged residents to take precautions and register home CCTV cameras with police.

New South Wales Crime Data (Context)

For the two years to March 2026, crime in New South Wales was mostly stable, except for shoplifting and other stealing offences. Shoplifting increased by 9.1%. The rise in shoplifting was driven by a 17% increase in theft of clothing/footwear and a 13% increase in theft of alcohol. The number of adults facing court increased by 10%, with one-third of the growth related to domestic violence.