CRIME in the Swan Hill police service area continues to drop.
The latest data from the Crime Statistics Agency showed a 4.3 per cent decrease in total criminal incidents to the end of June this year – a drop of 71 incidents on the previous 12 months and 279 fewer than the year before that.
In 2022-23, breach of a family violence order was the most common criminal incident with 163 offences, no change compared to the previous year.
Next most common were criminal damage (154), breach of bail conditions (131), common assault (96) and drug possession (90).
Swan Hill had the highest number of offences with 1058, ahead of Robinvale (202), Nyah West (59), Lake Boga (36) and Nyah (34).
Offence locations were largely at a house (621) or street, lane or footpath (243), followed by flat, unit or apartment (54), court (52) and other retail (46).
There were 506,408 criminal offences recorded across the state, representing an increase of 37,259 offences, or 7.9 per cent, from the 12 months to the end of June 2022.
Rail works
BUSES will replace trains on the Swan Hill passenger line in late February as part of a rail maintenance blitz.
Passengers will be put onto coaches between Southern Cross and Bendigo, Echuca and Swan Hill, from February 21 until March 3 as part of the $4.7 million upgrades.
Crews will also carry out structure upgrades to bridges, and replace an entire bridge with a concrete box culvert between Bendigo and Swan Hill.
Passengers should allow up to 60 minutes extra time for their journey.
Ferry resumes
THE Speewa ferry has resumed service.
The toll-free ferry across the Murray River returned to service on Saturday following maintenance.
The high-water level dropped allowing the ferry to safely be relaunched back into the river.
The ferry service runs seven days a week between 8am and 8.30pm with two one-hour breaks each day.
