by Emma Ballingall
Baw Baw crime is at a 10-year high, with a 29.8 per cent jump in offences recorded in the past 12 months.
Member for Narracan Wayne Farnham said the latest Crime Statistics Agency data confirmed "crime in Baw Baw is out of control" and proof that a 24/7 police station was desperately needed in Drouin.
The latest data showed 5850 offences were recorded in 2024, a jump from 4508 in 2023.
It places Baw Baw above the Victorian crime rate and the highest figures in the region since at least 2015. The data also surpassed a peak recorded in 2020.
Breaches of family violence orders continues to be the most common offences committed in Baw Baw, with 939 incidents.
Sexual assault offences rose a staggering 240 per cent - from 187 offences to 636 in 12 months. However, police anticipated the increase which was largely linked to a Sexual Offences and Child abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) investigation. Police said the investigated resulted in a number of charges and the offences were isolated to known parties.
Warragul continued to see the most crime of local towns, with 2492 offences recorded, and Drouin second with 1360. The figures represented a 17.9 per cent increase for Warragul and 19.2 per cent increase for Drouin.
Trafalgar, Longwarry and Yarragon also placed in the top five and all recorded increased crime.
The data showed an overwhelming majority of Baw Baw's crime occurred in residential houses, almost 38 per cent. This was followed by streets or footpaths, driveways, retail and service stations as the top five locations.
Youth aged 10 to 17 years continue to represent the highest percentage of alleged offenders. There were 460 offenders identified in this age cohort, compared to 229 in the 18 to 24-year-old cohort. The 45 plus ranked second with 387 alleges offenders.
Three-quarters of all alleged offenders were men.
Family violence continued to rise, up 17 per cent with 1324 incidents reported in 2024.
Whilst alarming, police believe the figures represent a growing awareness of programs to encourage victims to report and seek help.
Mr Farnham said the soaring crime in Baw Baw exposed the state government's failure to keep Victorians safe.
He said theft from motor vehicles increased by 59 per cent and criminal damage increased 24 per cent.
Across Victoria, crime has increased by 16 per cent in the past year and 19 per cent since Jacinta Allan became premier, Mr Farnham said.
He said of most concern was youth crime.
"Crime in Baw Baw is out of control, and Jacinta Allan has no plan to stop it," Mr Farnham said.
"Victorians should feel safe in their homes, their cars, and their businesses - but under Labor, crime is booming, and our communities are suffering.
"The numbers don't lie - Labor has lost control of law and order, and Victorians are paying the price."
Mr Farnham said Victoria Police members were working day and night to keep communities safe and the state government must do more to support their efforts.
"This data is more proof that a 24/7 station is desperately needed in Drouin, to support a growing population and to allow a greater allocation of resources by police command," he said.
"Our community deserves real action on crime, but instead, the Allan Government is sitting on its hands while crime continues to rise.
"We need tougher laws, stronger enforcement and a government that puts community safety first."
Baw Baw's crime increase was the highest of all Gippsland municipalities.
Five of the six shires experienced a rise of crime compared to the previous year, with South Gippsland the exception after a 0.4 per cent decrease.
Wellington saw a 17.4 per cent increase, Bass Coast 15.9 per cent, Latrobe 12.9 per cent and East Gippsland 9.1 per cent.
Cardinia experienced a similar increase to Baw Baw, with 26.5 per cent.