Melbourne is a wonderful city to live in, bustling with the tastiest coffee, diversity, creativity, a large sporting culture, active nightlife and vibrant art. Taking a closer look at the safety of the city, while it does have a Safety Index of 78.6, ranking equal 8th in the world for safety with Hong Kong in 2021, burglaries and other crimes are still common. 

Find out more about the crime landscape, and how you can protect your home with reliable security doors in Melbourne. 

8 Facts About Crime In Melbourne & Victoria 

1. The Melbourne Local Government Area has the highest criminal incident rate in Victoria

Across Victorian Local Government Areas, Melbourne has been found to have the highest criminal incident rates (in the year ending March 2022). There were 14,582.3 incidents per 100,000 estimated resident population. The second highest was Latrobe, followed by Mildura, Yarra, and Greater Shepparton. 

2. Overall crime rates in Melbourne are down by 4.6%

Crime incidents in Melbourne were found to have decreased by 4.6% compared to the same period the previous year, though state-wide crime is down 11.2%. The number of criminal incidents recorded by Victoria Police in the year to 31 March 2022 was 343,194, compared to 386,485 incidents recorded in the previous year.

3. Burglaries and break-ins have increased slightly

From the year ending March 2022 to the year ending March 2023, burglaries and break-ins have risen. According to Crime Statistics Victoria, in 2022 there were 30,055 recorded offences in the state, while there were 34,959 the following year. Increased cost of living pressures are expected to continue driving these offences. 

4. Burglars most want cash

Cash has been found to be the most stolen item in burglaries. Car keys are second, with over 13,000 vehicles stolen in Victoria across 21-22, while jewellery is third due to its nature as a small, valuable item that can be taken quickly. Other popular items include laptops, tablets, passports, and mobile phones.

5. Melbourne has a Crime Index of 43.99

A Crime Index is an estimation of the overall level of crime in a given city or country. Numbeo explains crime levels below 20 are seen as low, 40-60 as moderate and 60-80 as high. An index of 43.99 is seen as moderate, compared to Sydney’s low crime levels of 34.37.

6. The Melbourne suburb most at risk of burglary is Braybrook

In 2019, the suburb with the highest recorded burglary rate was Braybrook, with 1 in 39 homes experiencing burglary. Robinson experienced similar rates, while Cardinia, Clyde, and Clyde North saw 1 in 46 homes burgled. 

7. The most common method of entry into homes is forcing or breaking open a door

While there is a high proportion of incidents where the method and point of entry is unknown, where data is available, the most common known method of entry is by forcing or breaking open a door (26.5%), followed by forcing or breaking open a window (18.3%).

8. The average time spent on a burglary is 8 minutes

Thieves often want to get in and out of the house as quickly as possible to avoid getting caught, with the average time now as short as 8 minutes. Because of this, items most likely to be stolen are relatively small, and in plain sight. Hiding valuables is recommended to protect them. 

How Security Doors In Melbourne Can Protect Your Home

When it comes to home protection, security screen doors are an excellent option to provide a tamper-proof layer that fortifies the most common entry point into the home. Security Plus Shutters, Doors & Blinds supply Invisi-Gard security screens composed of impact-resistant 316 mesh and robust aluminium frames to offer a strong, tamper-proof design. All doors are also created with a three-point locking system for maximum security. 

Apart from physically blocking intruders, the simple sight of a guarded front door is often enough to avert criminals. They will often decide it may be too much of a challenge to enter, selecting another neighbouring home. 

Roller shutters to protect windows, as well as alarm systems and cameras are also recommended for maximum security. 

Protect Your Melbourne Home With Security Plus 

At Security Plus Shutters, Doors & Blinds, we have been providing high quality security doors and screens to homes in Melbourne and Sydney since 1992, now with over 30 years of experience creating safer families. Browse our range of styles and colours and book a consultation for custom-made, protective doors in Melbourne today.