Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula are facing a sharp rise in crime, with police pointing the finger at a small group of repeat young offenders who are driving much of the surge.
The latest figures from the Crime Statistics Agency show Victoria recorded 638,640 offences in the year to June 2025, up 15.7 per cent on the year before.
But the headline finding is that fewer young people are committing more crimes.
“A small cohort of repeat offenders remain responsible for a large proportion of total crime recorded in Victoria. For example, Victoria Police arrested 1,128 child offenders (10–17-year-olds) a combined 7,118 times, with total arrests increasing by 26.7 per cent from the previous year. There were 149 less child offenders in the reporting period, indicating that repeat offenders are driving the arrest numbers,” Victoria Police said.
Read: Victoria Police statement in relation to Crime Statistics Agency data release
Frankston: thefts and family violence breaches climb
Frankston recorded 13,754 offences in the 12 months to June 2025, a rise of 18.8 per cent.
- Theft from motor vehicles was the most common offence, with 2,069 incidents.
- Criminal damage (1,155) and breaches of family violence orders (1,069) followed closely.
- Homes were the most frequent crime scene, with 3,647 incidents, while 2,049 took place on streets.
Seaford (2,074 offences), Carrum Downs (1,867), and Langwarrin (891) were among the hardest-hit suburbs.
Mornington Peninsula: homes and cars targeted
On the Mornington Peninsula, 9,333 offences were recorded, up 10.6 per cent on the previous year.
- Theft from vehicles topped the list with 1,313 cases.
- Other theft (864), family violence breaches (749) and criminal damage (695) were also prominent.
- Mornington (1,656 offences), Rosebud (1,337) and Hastings (1,287) recorded the highest suburb totals.
Again, houses were the most common crime location, with 2,758 incidents, followed by streets and retail settings.
Police: crime levels ‘cannot be normalised’
Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said police are determined to prevent crime rather than simply arrest offenders after the fact.
“As a society, we simply cannot allow the level of crime we are seeing to become normalised and accepted — every Victorian deserves to feel safe in their home, within the community and on the roads,” he said.
“We will continue to make arrests and hold offenders to account, but we need to prevent and deter crime to reduce offending so that there are fewer victims in Victoria.”
What it means for locals
For Frankston and Mornington Peninsula residents, the statistics confirm what many already see in their suburbs: more car break-ins, more family violence, and a steady rise in thefts from homes and shops.
While Victoria Police are targeting youth gangs and burglars through special operations, the data suggests that unless repeat young offenders are stopped from re-offending, the cycle of crime will continue.
