MASSIVE increases in residential burglaries and car thefts have led to a 7.6 per cent rise in crime in Brimbank over the last 12 months.

Car theft rose a staggering 25.4 per cent, residential burglaries increased by 18.7 per cent and robbery also increased by 18.1 per cent.

Theft from motor vehicles also increased by a massive 23.3 per cent.

The annual figures for Brimbank were released by Victoria Police in Werribee on Monday.

Sunshine CIU Detective Senior Sergeant Fred Grove said he was not surprised by the statistics.

He said the trend had been building for at least 18 months.

He said it was difficult to know why there had been such a significant increase in crime, but pointed to a lack of police as an underlying cause.

“For quite some time, our numbers (of members) have been lower than what our designated strength is,” he said.

“It’s also a busy area. Members are tied up for long periods of time dealing with domestic issues, something that Brimbank seems to have a disproportionate amount of, so sometimes we just can’t get the numbers to get out there.”

Almost 30 cars a day are being stolen in Victoria Police’s region 2, which covers the whole the western suburbs and south western Victoria.

The release of the statistics coincide with a number of recent high-profile incidents, including two shootings, a stabbing and a schoolyard machete attack.

Snr Sgt Grove said he believed spiralling petrol prices meant more and more people were stealing cars and number plates to use in drive-by petrol thefts.

“Part of the reason is certainly economic,” he said.

Snr Sgt Grove said Sunshine Police had adopted measures to combat the growing problem, including increased street patrols around railway stations and shopping centres, which were hotspots for car theft.

They had also started a program to fit number plates with one way screws and cars with kill switches.

He said however, crime prevention was not just a police responsibility.

“We haven’t got the police to get out there … we can only do so much. The public also have a commitment to prevent and report crime. It’s a whole community focus,” Snr Sgt Grove said.

Overall, the number of offences recorded in Brimbank for 2006/07 was 8030 compared to 8644 last financial year.

Superintendent Tim Cartwright said Victoria Police was working hard to target the sharp rise in street robberies in Melbourne’s West by doubling the size of its EMBONA Taskforce and developing a number of investigative and preventative strategies.