The Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) published data for the period ending 31 March, and found that stealing from retail stores has increased by 11.7 per cent.
The research found that recorded crimes in retail spaces remain at peak levels in Victoria, with more than 94,100 incidents reported in the year to March 2026. This is a modest decline from the same period in 2025, which recorded 98,050 incidents; however, it remains higher than in 2024, when it reached 78,588 incidents.
Recorded assaults in retail spaces continued to increase, reaching 5,258 incidents in the year to March 2026. This figure has increased steadily since the same period in 2017, when it was at 2,925. CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said some significant demographic shifts have been observed.
“For the first time since 2022, incidents alleged to be linked to youth offenders have decreased, with adults now responsible for 88 per cent of offender incidents,” she explained.
“There has been a 10.8 per cent increase in adult offender incidents recorded over the last 12 months, driven by increases in breaches of bail conditions, stealing from retail stores and breaches of family violence orders.”
This comes as the rate of all recorded offences decreased, declining by 1.9 per cent to 8,690.8 per 100,000 Victorians in the past 12 months.
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