Petrol stations and shops feel brunt of crime jump

Farrah Tomazin
September 16, 2012
The Age

PETROL stations, retailers and other small businesses are feeling the brunt of unprecedented levels of crime.

An analysis of police statistics shows a sharp rise in business-related offences over the past financial year.

·According to the latest data, there were 77,676 business victims of crime recorded in 2011-12 – a 4 per cent increase compared with the previous 12 months. Of those crimes:

â–  Aggravated burglary against businesses increased by more than 22 per cent.
â–  Arson up by almost 19 per cent.
â–  Residential burglaries (potentially involving more people working from home) increased by 16.4 per cent.
â–  Motor vehicle theft rose by over 23 per cent.
â–  Crimes of deception increased by 3 per cent.

The number of people driving off from service stations without paying for petrol also increased, by almost 17 per cent, a development police say is ”strongly correlated” to the price of petrol increasing, along with other cost-of-living pressures.

Clare Siddins, a spokeswoman for Police Minister Peter Ryan, said small businesses were the backbone of the economy, and criminal activity aimed at local businesses was a big concern to the government.

However, she added that the government’s investment in extra front-line police had allowed more crime to be detected, and this was positive.

But the figures are a blow for the Coalition, which came to office promising a ”tough-on-crime” agenda. Instead, the statistics show that overall crime had risen for the first time in a decade.

The increase in business crimes also come as Premier Ted Baillieu headed to China overnight to spruik Victoria’s small business credentials.

The opposition’s small business spokesman, Justin Madden, said the figures ”paint a bleak picture” in encouraging Victorians to start up small businesses.

The Australian Industry Group’s state director, Tim Piper, said the figures were troubling, and highlighted the need for some businesses to beef-up security.

The Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s chief executive, Mark Stone, said the trend ”reinforces the importance of strong law enforcement”.

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