There's safety in neighbours

RACV backs Neighbourhood Watch’s Crime Prevention Month encouraging Victorians to watch out for each other

Victorian communities are being encouraged to reconnect with their neighbours during Crime Prevention Month, a statewide initiative backed by RACV, in collaboration with Neighbourhood Watch Victoria.

Neighbourhood Watch Victoria has marked the launch of Crime Prevention Month with a new advertising campaign There’s safety in neighbours calling for Victorians to reconnect with their neighbours to help watch out for each other.

The month-long campaign comes as the latest Victorian Crime Statistics Agency data for the year ending 30 June 2025 has shown over 33,000 motor vehicle theft offences with a total increase of over 42 per cent – and the highest since 2002. This includes 28,500 motor vehicle theft offences (up 39 per cent) and over 4,500 attempted motor vehicle theft offences (up 64 per cent).

There were over 86,300 theft from a motor vehicle offences (up 39.4 per cent), with numberplates the most common item stolen, accounting for almost 40 per cent of all theft from motor vehicle offences, with almost 32,000 offences (up over 50 per cent).

Home break-ins are continuing to impact neighbourhoods across metropolitan and regional areas, with home burglary offences also up with over 30,000 incidents (up 13.9 per cent).

RACV’s General Manager Insurance and Roadside Bill Bloodworth said the most recent stats from the Insurance Statistics Australia has shown every 18 minutes a claim is being lodged for car theft in Australia.

“Victoria has experienced more than 12,000 motor vehicle claims totalling $223 million in the 12 months to June 2025 – the largest annual increase on record,” Mr Bloodworth said.

CEO Neighbourhood Watch Victoria Bambi Gordon said Neighbourhood Watch’s Crime Prevention Month is all about neighbours working together and looking out for each other to make our communities safer.

“There is currently a growing concern about crime, but the reality is that most property crime is opportunistic. If we remove the opportunity, we can prevent the crime and if we watch out for each other, there’s safety in numbers,” Ms Gordon said.

“Neighbourhood Watch’s Crime Prevention Month is about teaching Victorians exactly how to do that. It’s about education and awareness — giving people the knowledge to protect their families, and their home and their communities.”

For more information about free Crime Prevention Month activities and resources, visit nhw.com.au.