Local police are taking a proactive approach to tackling youth crime.
Recent data has revealed youth crime in the Baw Baw police services area is higher than in some neighbouring areas and police are working to control it.
In the year ending December 31 2019, there were just 142 reported offenders in Baw Baw aged 10 to 17-years-old. By the end of December 2021, that number had only risen slightly to 145.
However, numbers suddenly increased in the year to December 2022 with 287 offenders aged between 10 and 17.

Baw Baw police service area inspector Peter Fusinato said the amount o