mmg.com.au

Recorded crime in Campaspe Police Service Area jumped by 17 per cent in 2012, according to the latest Victoria Police statistics.

While some categories rose only marginally, there were no decreases in any type of crime.

There were large increases in residential burglaries, a jump of 28.4 per cent, and theft from motor vehicles up 25.1 per cent.

Campaspe Inspector Martin Dorman said the Criminal Investigations Unit had charged a large number of people with offences within those crime categories.

‘‘We actively target persons who are known to have a propensity to steal,’’ he said.

Insp. Dorman noted a number of burgled houses were unlocked.

‘‘This makes it easy for the thief,’’ he said.

‘‘I can only implore upon our residents the need to lock your houses. The same applies to the owners of motor vehicles.’’

Recorded drug offences also rose last year by 25.6 per cent, though Insp. Dorman put this down to an area-wide crackdown on drug-related crime by the Campaspe Tasking Unit, which executed a number of warrants last year.

‘‘Along the way, numerous persons —predominantly local citizens—have been charged with offences associated with the use and trafficking of illicit drugs, burglaries, armed robberies and assorted other crimes,’’ Insp. Dorman said.

In road policing, eight people died on the roads in the Campaspe area and the number of domestic assaults increased.

‘‘The unit (Bendigo family violence unit) makes a number of visits to the Campaspe PSA and has prosecuted a number of recidivist offenders with regards to breaches of intervention orders,’’ Insp Dorman said.

Insp. Dorman said the statistics were Campaspe-wide figures.