Burglary hotspots in Melbourne and Victoria revealed

Why are some Melbourne suburbs hotspots for burglary?

Burglary hotspots are usually suburbs with high population, density and accessibility.

High-population suburbs naturally have more houses, apartments and businesses. With more dwellings and higher population density, there are simply more opportunities for burglary.

Suburbs with a lot of rental housing, student accommodation or short-term residents also tend to record more break-ins. Frequent turnover can make neighbourhoods feel less connected, reducing the deterrent effect of neighbours watching out for each other.

Burglars tend to target suburbs with easy entry and exit points, close to major roads, public transport, or city centres. Suburbs that sit near key transport corridors are easier for offenders to access and leave quickly.

"Suburbs with easy access to major roads or train lines can also become hotspots because offenders know they can get in and out quickly," Gordon says. "Once an area develops a reputation as 'easy pickings', it can unfortunately draw repeat offending."

In contrast, the safest suburbs tend to be smaller, more remote and more tightly knit communities where opportunities for burglary are limited. They are often areas with long-term home ownership, which results in better informal surveillance between neighbours.

Why do burglary hotspots change each year?

Burglary risk is dynamic. Police crackdowns can temporarily displace burglary efforts from some suburbs. Burglars may be attracted to new housing estates, or copy-cat routes if they see successful break-ins in certain areas. Economic pressures also shift what offenders aim to steal, which can influence their target areas.

How to help deter burglars

When it comes to crime prevention, Gordon says many people underestimate how simple mitigation techniques can have an enormous impact.

"Ultimately, burglars fear being caught and they’re lazy - but if we make things easy for them, they will take advantage," she says. "Keeping valuables out of sight may seem like an obvious piece of advice, but many of us will ignore the risks of leaving keys, wallets and bags in plain sight inside a car or by the front door."

The combination of simple habit changes and modest physical upgrades can push a would-be burglar to pick an easier target.

•  Visibility and noise - trim hedges below windowsill height, add motion lighting, and use gravel or surfaces that make footfall obvious. Offenders dislike exposure and attention.
• Locks matter more than you think - fit quality deadlocks on external doors and keyed locks or pin-locks on windows. Keep your garage door closed and locked, and never leave the manual release cord accessible from outside.
• Create key discipline - store car keys away from entry paths and windows. When you are home, lock the door behind you.
• Alarm and cameras as multipliers - a basic monitored alarm or CCTV set is often enough to deter would-be burglars. Ensure that warning signage is visible too.
• Neighbourhood help - make the house look lived in during holidays with timers for lights, paused mail, and a friend to move bins and shuffle parked cars.

Act now on the easy wins (locks, lighting, key discipline, garage security) before you think about higher-cost upgrades. Maintain good habits; complacency is what burglars count on.

How safe is your place?

Gordon calls for Victorians to come together and use the strength of community networking to make their homes and property safer.

"Joining or starting a Neighbourhood Watch group in your local area is not only a fantastic way to meet and connect with your neighbours, but also the best crime-prevention tool in your arsenal," Gordon says.

Neighbourhood Watch also encourages Victorians to use How Safe is My Place: an online platform to help homeowners identify and fix vulnerabilities in their property.