Retail theft has continued to rise across Victoria, with more than 43,000 offences recorded over the past year despite an overall decline in crime across the state.
The latest Crime Statistics Agency data shows 43,124 thefts from retail stores were recorded in the 12 months to June 2026, an increase of 2.7% or 1,137 offences compared with the previous year.
Retail theft also remained the most common offence among people aged 29 and under.
The increase came as overall recorded crime in Victoria fell for the first time following a prolonged period of growth. A total of 624,624 criminal offences were recorded during the year, down 2.1%, while the crime rate declined 3.8% to 8,679.6 offences per 100,000 people.
Other forms of theft recorded larger declines, including theft from motor vehicles, which fell 10.4%, motor vehicle theft, down 5.2%, and bicycle theft, which dropped 16.9%.
Victoria Police said the rise in recorded retail theft could partly reflect expanded online reporting options introduced for retailers and fuel operators, which have made it easier for businesses to report incidents and provided police with greater visibility of offending.
Police have continued to target retail theft through Operation Pulse, which Victoria Police describes as its largest operation focused on the offence. The operation has resulted in more than 2,000 arrests and more than 4,000 charges to date.
Operation Pulse is also being expanded into additional retail precincts, while Victoria Police has begun trialling further initiatives involving concentrated police and community activity during periods considered at higher risk of offending.
The retail figures come amid declines in several serious and violent crime categories. Serious and violent crime fell 4.1% overall, including a 22.9% reduction in robbery, a 27% fall in residential aggravated burglaries and a 25.4% decline in carjackings and attempted carjackings.
Despite the overall improvement, recorded crime across Victoria remains 13.2% higher than three years ago.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Bob Hill said the latest figures indicated crime was beginning to stabilise, but remained elevated.
“While it is pleasing to see overall crime figures stabilising, and many categories seeing reductions, general levels remain elevated, reinforcing the need for Victoria Police to maintain a strong focus on prevention and enforcement activities,” Hill said.
“Community safety is maximised when our people are visible, proactive and focused on frontline policing.”
