ABC News Daily How Melbourne became the 'crime capital'
Oct 30, 2025
Rafael Epstein, ABC Melbourne Mornings presenter, dives deep into the unsettling rise of violent crime in Victoria. He discusses alarming incidents like home invasions and public stabbings, diving into the human impact of these crimes. Epstein questions the label of Melbourne as 'the crime capital,' analyzing the statistics behind the spike in incidents. Their conversation touches on political narratives, the role of media reporting, and the new police commissioner’s vow to tackle crime. It's an eye-opening look at a pressing societal issue!
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Terrifying Home Invasion Stories
- A 76-year-old grandmother in Brighton confronted armed intruders in her lounge and told them to leave.
- A man called Josh faced home invaders with a hammer at 3am and protected his child while others threatened to 'hit him with the hammer.'
Random Public Stabbings And Machete Attacks
- A sushi chef named Wanle was stabbed in the city centre in a fast, unprovoked attack captured on video.
- A man on a temporary visa nearly had his hand cut off by teenagers with a machete and needed complex microsurgery.
Numbers Mask A Violent Subset
- Official incident counts have risen recently, but when adjusted for population some rates are lower.
- Violent assaults have increased and a small cohort of repeat young offenders now commit dozens of serious crimes.