Crime Statistics Agency, CSA, data for the year ending December 31, 2023 revealed alarming increases in criminal incidents in Mitchell Shire.
In the shire, there has been an 11.6 per cent rise in criminal incidents with 39.2 per cent of cases being unsolved – up from 30 per cent.
Family violence breaches continue to be the leading criminal incident in the Mitchell Shire.
Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said her office was dealing with regular community concerns over crime across the region, with the most recent data from the CSA demonstrating a clear spike in criminal behaviour locally.
She said the rise in unsolved cases was a consequence of the State Government’s failure to keep its promises over police numbers.
“Labor’s continual under-resourcing of Victoria Police has seen criminal incidents in our region rise to outrageous levels and, alarmingly, most of them unsolved,” she said.
“Police numbers are going backwards – that is an objective fact.
“This lack of support threatens to leave rural communities without a police presence and send a signal that the safety and protection of our rural communities doesn’t matter.
“Police are doing the best they can, but they are just not being given the tools they need.
“Victims of crime in our regional communities have again been badly let down by the Allan Labor Government.”