CRIME has jumped in Loddon communities, according to data released by the Crime Statistics Agency last Thursday.
More than half of the local 408 incidents in the 12 months to June remain unsolved.
Loddon’s 22.2 per cent increase is more than two per cent above the state rise.
Most incidents were in Wedderburn (62) with thefts the biggest category.
The largest jumps in incidents were Pyramid Hill up 14 to 37, Korong Vale rising from 17 to 32 and Bridgewater up 10 to 31.
Family violence incidents have jumped to their highest level in Loddon communities in more than five years.
The 27.4 per cent rise in the 12 months to June took the yearly figure to 144 incidents compared with 113 for the previous 12-month period.
Across Victoria, family incidents increased by 10.7 per cent in the last 12 months, with 106,247 incidents recorded across Victoria. 
State-wide figures showed the number of criminal incidents increased, up 20.1 per cent or 79,624 to 474,937 incidents. 
The rate also increased, up 18.1 per cent to 6692.2 per 100,000 Victorians. Criminal incidents have reached their highest recorded figures since the commencement of CSA reporting in 2004-2005.
Alleged offender incidents increased 19.4 per cent to 193,565 in the last 12 months, as did the rate up 17.3 per cent to 3,077.4 per 100,000. Theft incidents increased by 38.5 per cent or 12,343 to 44,398 alleged offender incidents. The victimisation rate increased by 18.1 per cent to 3887.8 reports per 100,000 Victorians. The number of person-related victim reports was up 20.1 per cent to 275,909 and organisation reports was up 31.4 per cent to 115,705. 
The rise in person victim reports was primarily driven by theft (up 31.1 per cent to 127,680).
CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley said” “Theft offences have continued to rise sharply, with nearly a quarter of a million offences recorded in the last year. 
“Increases were largest for thefts from motor vehicles and retail stores, with many of these offences linked to repeat offending,” she said.
“Family incidents increased over the last 12 months also, reaching 106,247, with growth seen in breaches of family violence orders and assaults related to family incidents.”
Nationals’ MP Gaelle Broad said: “Rising crime is a serious statewide issue, and the statistics show that regional and rural communities are not immune to Labor’s soft-on-crime approach ...  once again regional Victorians are paying the price.”