Victoria’s Crime Wave Explodes: Machete Brawls, Fatal Stabbings and Car Theft Epidemic Engulf Melbourne as Statistics Reveal the Alarming Truth
- Victoria’s crime rate has soared to its highest level on record, with a staggering 56% increase in car thefts and a rise in assaults in public settings.
- The state’s crime capital, Melbourne, has been ravaged by violent incidents, including a fatal attack on two young boys and a daylight stabbing in the CBD.
- Experts warn that the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the surge in crime, with lockdowns causing a breakdown in social cohesion and an increase in domestic and family violence.
Victoria is in the grip of a crime wave, with the number of criminal incidents skyrocketing to unprecedented levels. The state’s crime capital, Melbourne, has been plagued by violent incidents, including a fatal attack on two young boys and a daylight stabbing in the CBD. But beneath the shocking headlines, statistics reveal a more complex picture of a city in crisis.
At the heart of the crisis is a surge in car thefts, with a staggering 56% increase in the past year. The Insurance Council of Australia has reported that motor vehicle theft claims fell in every state except Victoria, where claims rose sharply. In the 12 months to June 2025, there were 25,448 incidents of vehicles being stolen, with the majority of thefts occurring in a small minority of suburbs.
But car theft is just the tip of the iceberg. Assaults in public settings, such as on public transport or on public streets, have also risen sharply. The number of both common and serious assaults has increased, even accounting for population growth. And in a disturbing trend, the number of arson incidents has continued to rise, with a total of 44 incidents recorded in the suburb of Broadmeadows in Melbourne’s north.
So who is behind the surge in crime? Authorities say that repeat offenders, known as recidivists, are driving the rise in crime. Despite an increase in criminal incidents per capita, data shows that the overall rate of offenders per capita has steadily dropped in Victoria for more than a decade. In September, Victoria Police reported that 5,400 people, or 0.07% of the population, were responsible for 40% of crime in the state.
But experts warn that the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the surge in crime. Criminologist Xanthe Mallett believes that the lockdowns caused a breakdown in social cohesion and an increase in domestic and family violence. “I think it’s going to be a really long time before we fully understand the effects of COVID, especially in Melbourne,” she said. “For some of these young people, that event has been incredibly impactful, and I think we’re still seeing that lack in social cohesion.”
In response to the crisis, the government has vowed to take action, with Premier Jacinta Allan earmarking new legislation to tackle the rising crime rate. But Dr Mallett warns that locking up youths through tougher bail laws is not the answer. “Obviously, for that very hardcore group, we have to make sure that the community is safe, and incarceration may be the only choice in that situation,” she said. “But for the vast majority, we know that it doesn’t actually reduce offending.”
Victoria Police has also vowed to focus more heavily on crime prevention, with Chief Commissioner Mike Bush committing to an annual 5% reduction in crime. But Dr Mallett says that there is no quick fix. “There’s no quick fix. We’re looking at years’ worth of work that we’re going to have to do to turn this tide,” she said.