No leap in crime rate in Wodonga but youth offending is of concern

Statistics released on Thursday show there was only a 1.2 per cent rise in crime in Wodonga in the 12 months to March, which Inspector Paul Henry noted was only a marginal increase.

There was an increase in residential break-ins where nobody was home, with 147 incidents recorded in the year.

Criminal damage was the most common offence in Wodonga, followed by theft from motor vehicles with 244 such incidents.

Inspector Henry said youths aged 10 to 17 were the most prolific offenders, particularly with car thefts and criminal damage.

"The big areas that concern me are residential burglaries ... the aggravated burglaries, the 'sneak-in' style," he said on Friday.

"People who are sneaking in through locked doors at night time, or unlocked windows, in order to steal keys to steal motor vehicles.

"So simple steps can be taken in terms of locking your house at night time and keeping your keys in a safe place."

Inspector Henry said half of all cars stolen in the area were unlocked or had keys inside them.

He said aggravated burglaries where people were confronted were rare, and said most invasions involved people known to each other.

Inspector Henry said crime statistics showed a drop in offending in the Towong government area, including Tallangatta and Corryong.

Family violence order breaches are the most common offence in Towong, followed by theft and common assault.

Wangaratta recorded an 8.9 per cent rise in crime in the 12 month period, with criminal damage and family violence order breaches the equal most common offences.

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