This newsletter celebrates a remarkable milestone… Thanks to the hidden heroes of Victoria, we have now received over 1.5 million reports. We know it takes courage to come forward and speak up. We should be very proud of each person that has contributed to making the community safer. Thank you Victoria.
Read on to learn more about what has kept us so busy here at Crime Stoppers.
‘Say something before it’s too late.’ – Victoria Police Partnership
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission conservatively estimates that there are more than 200,000 illegal guns in circulation across Australia.
Illegal firearms pose a danger to you, your family and your loved ones.
Our most recent campaign, ‘Say something before it’s too late’ encouraged those closest to illegal firearms to anonymously share information with Crime Stoppers.
‘Your Pet, Our Pest.’ – Agriculture Victoria partnership
In March we joined forces with Agriculture Victoria to expose the illegal exotic pet trade, with a focus on African Pygmy Hedgehogs recently discovered in Victoria.
The journey endured by many illegal exotic animals during transit is traumatic and these hedgehogs were most likely bound and gagged to prevent detection on their journey into Australia.
The presence of exotic pests in Australia also increases the risk of infectious diseases like rabies being spread to farm animals, domestic pets, native wildlife and even humans.
We received strong support from the community following the launch and some powerful conversation occurred on our social platforms.
Learn more about how you can stop the illegal exotic pet trade.
It is no surprise that podcasts have grown in popularity, with 33% of Australians tuning in to their favourite podcasts weekly. We have been focusing on delivering more informative and engaging podcasts to you, covering diverse topics ranging from coercive control to defending your online investments.
‘Coercive control And The Changing Face Of Family Violence’
‘Coercive control And The Changing Face Of Family Violence’ With a focus on Family Violence awareness month, our new podcast with Victoria Police provides valuable insights on the constantly changing face of traditional family violence.
In this episode, Assistant Commissioner of Victoria Police, Lauren Callaway shares insights to those who may be in a toxic relationship.
During the episode the Assistant Commissioner gives examples of coercive control from gaslighting and controlling household finances to controlling what a victim can eat, wear, and do.
‘Defending Your Online 
Investments’
Last year Australians lost $292,623,743 to online investment scams. However, despite this alarming figure many of these scams still go unreported.
The first Crime Stoppers podcast of 2024 delves into sophisticated scams that prey on individuals looking to start investing in shares and crypto currency. The ‘Defending Your Online Investment’ podcast is supported by our partner, BankVic, and features special guests, Paul Colville, Senior Fraud & Anti-Money laundering Consultant from BankVic and Alec Renehan from Equity Mates.
During the episode Renehan explains that, “Financial scams are becoming a part of everyday life,” and with The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimating that 65% of Australians have been exposed to scams, “It is becoming more a question of ‘when’ not ‘if’ you will face an attempted scam.”
“Educating yourself with podcasts like this is the best way to spot a scam and take action to avoid losing any money.”
This must listen podcast will teach you how you can invest safely and avoid falling victim to scams.
Each month we are posting more blogs, from strategies to thwart ‘petnappers’ and staying calm on the roads, to recognising and navigating the confronting issue of elder abuse. Our aim is to offer valuable insights and resources for all!
With 59 exciting events already under our belt so far this year we have been engaging with people across the state as part of our youth engagement program.
Connecting with young people is a priority for us. Our program with football and skateboarding sessions, that links young participants to employment services and educates them on community safety, has been a big hit.
We are also eagerly anticipating the upcoming Mildura Field Days event and invite anyone from the community to join us at the Mildura Racecourse on 17 and 18 May.
In the coming months we will continue to deliver powerful crime prevention and educational resources. If you don’t already, follow @crimestoppers.vic on socials for new content daily.
Thank you for helping to keep Victoria safe.