A total of 885 offences were recorded in the year ending September 30, 2017, down from 920 offences last year latest data from Crime Statistics Agency showed.  

There were 210 criminal incidents against the person, 356 offences related to property crime and deception, 116 drug-related offences, 78 public order and security incidents, 121 justice procedure offences and four criminal incidents listed as ‘other’. 

Stawell Senior Sergeant Rob Weppner said the overall decrease was positive, but a worrying new trend of burglaries had emerged.

Senior Sergeant Weppner said residential and aggravated burglaries were down, but “other” burglaries were up by 33 per cent. 

“This means burglaries of sporting clubs and other smaller similar establishments like that,” he said. 

Thieves targeted Grange and Glenorchy golf clubs, Concongella Primary and the clubrooms of both Stawell Warriors and Stawell Swifts this year. 

Ararat Criminal Investigation Unit was also probing a spate of eight burglaries which occurred within three days across the Great Western, Moyston and Maroona areas last week.

“This is happening to clubs in remote areas and not in the heart of town,” Senior Sergeant Weppner said.

“We are doing some work locally with these clubs to see if they can get CCTV cameras and alarm systems.”

Senior Sergeant Weppner also said there had been a 12.5 per cent increase in drug offences in the Stawell area. 

“We have been intercepting vehicles with drugs travelling through Stawell on the highway,” he said.

“This comes back to getting information from the public and utilising that intelligence to execute our searches.

“We are then able to remove these drugs from the streets and potential buyers.” 

Property offences at Stawell were down by 43 per cent. Assaults also decreased by 5.3 per cent. 

“Stawell is doing a good job in reporting these crimes and we hope this downward trend continues,” Sergeant Weppner said.