Youth offending has dropped for the first time in half a decade in one state as another grapples with a surge in thefts targeting popular e-bikes.
Criminal offences in Victoria fell 0.2 per cent in the 12 months to the end of March, the latest Crime Statistics Agency figures released on Thursday show.
Car thefts were among the key drivers of the state's overall crime rate, mirroring findings from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, which showed retail theft had increased by nine per cent over the past two years.
Overall crime in Victoria has increased by 26 per cent over the past three years.
Still, youth offenders committing crime has dropped six per cent, with the rate of alleged adult incidents rising by 10.8 per cent over the past year.
