One man’s alleged serial sex offences send recorded crime rate soaring

Shepparton Detective Sergeant Alison Lewis said a 48-year-old Shepparton man was charged with 374 of those.

“It looks terrible, but we certainly haven’t had a large increase,” Det Sgt Lewis said.

Shepparton area commander Inspector Bruce Simpson said there had also been an increase in reports of historical sex offences, which also contributed to the rise.

“Offences have occurred many years ago, and the victim has been brave enough to come forward,” Inspector Simpson said.

Across Victoria, there were 8953 instances of sexual offences recorded in 2021, 585 more than 2020.

Overall, Greater Shepparton saw a 1.7 per cent decrease in criminal instances last year, according to the CSA.

It follows a drop in crime across the state, with Victoria recording a 13.2 per cent decrease in criminal instances.

It’s the lowest number ever recorded by the data agency.

Victoria Police deputy commissioner for regional operations Rick Nugent said it was “positive“ to see a reduction in serious offences.

“While it is likely that overall crime will increase as the community returns to normality, the early signs are relatively positive,” Mr Nugent said.

“To date, we have not seen a rapid return across all crime categories, with police intelligence indicating overall offending still remains below pre-pandemic levels.”

Breach of family violence orders remains the top offence recorded in the Greater Shepparton LGA, with 1796 instances recorded last year.

Stealing from a motor vehicle was also one of the top offences recorded in 2021, with 105 more offences recorded than in 2020.

Inspector Simpson said theft of and from vehicles continued to be an issue in the area.

“People need to lock their cars and keep their goods hidden away,” he said.

“It’s a continual problem, but we really need the public’s assistance.”

The CSA released the Victorian recorded crime statistics on Thursday, March 17, for 2021 ending on December 31.