With Mooroopna sitting at number five and Shepparton at number nine, the statistics paint an alarming picture for Greater Shepparton.
The towns were ranked by postcode in RACV's annual burglary statistics report, which combines Victoria Police burglary figures for 2018-19 with postcode data to identify the riskiest and safest postcodes.
The data shows one in 41 homes was burgled in Mooroopna in 2019 while one in 47 Shepparton homes was targeted by offenders.
Shepparton Local Area Commander Inspector Troy Hargadon said the statistics were a concern for local police.
“Data from the Crime Statistics Agency shows the number of residential burglaries in Shepparton has unfortunately risen by 42% over the past year, which is a concern to police,” he said.
“We do not underestimate the fact people not only deserve to be safe, but to feel safe — the community can be assured we are working tirelessly to prevent, deter and disrupt crime and apprehend offenders.”
The data revealed three Victorian homes were burgled every hour, with 23.6 per cent of burglaries through a forced door and 13.7 per cent through an unlocked door.
Insp Hargadon acknowledged how concerning home burglaries were for the victims, reassuring locals that Shepparton police had been working for a number of years to reduce the number of burglaries in our area.
He encouraged residents to take steps to reduce their risk of being burgled, including installing locks on doors and windows, ensuring doors, windows and garages remain locked, making your house look occupied and installing an alarm system or CCTV.
“These types of crimes are almost always opportunistic, with offenders entering homes either through open or unlocked doors and windows to steal items, including car keys,” Insp Hargadon said.
“In the majority of cases, offenders are doing this while the home owner is not present.”
Despite Greater Shepparton ranking in the top 10, the research showed that people living in regional areas felt safer and less at risk of being burgled than those in metropolitan areas.
The analysis showed the risk of burglary was highest in country Victoria, with regional areas making up eight of the state's 10 riskiest postcodes.
Insp Hargadon urged locals to call Triple Zero immediately if they witnessed any suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhood.
“Victoria Police officers continue to proactively target known hot spots and patrol local areas in an effort to detect, disrupt and apprehend offenders and keep the community safe,” he said.
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