Southbank’s crime rate increases

Victoria Police released its crime statistics last week and they show an increase in crime in the Melbourne Police Service Area, which includes Southbank.

Total crime was up 3.5 per cent from last year. This was mainly caused by an increase of 14.8 per cent in “Other Crimes”.

Inspector Bernie Jackson and Inspector Paul Ross put that down to the targeted police operations conducted in the area over the survey period.

“We launched Operation Northbank in late May, targeting robbery offences and the figures continue to indicate a decrease in robbery offences,” the inspectors said on the Victoria Police website.

MP for Albert Park Martin Foley disagreed, saying the increased crime rate in Southbank had a direct link to the lack of action on activating a police pod in the area.

Mr Foley said the latest figures show police and politicians need to do more than talk tough on crime.

“When combined with the cruel hoax of the broken promise by the City of Melbourne of its now shelved “Police Pod” and the failure of the State Government to back local police command’s push for a Southbank Station, we are seeing just how shallow both levels of governments’ commitment to community safety is,” Mr Foley said.