Preston sits in the Darebin council area, which records 8,083 offences per 100,000 residents, well above the Victorian average. Most home break-ins are opportunistic, so visible attention and a fast alert to the people who can help matter more than any sticker on a window.
Is Preston safe?
By the numbers, crime in Darebin, the council area covering Preston, is higher than most of Victoria: 8,083 offences per 100,000 residents against a state average of 6,174, ranked 18 of 80 council areas. Recorded incidents in Preston itself were down 14% last year (5,578 to 4,794). The largest share of what is recorded in Preston is property and deception offences (72% of incidents). Compare it with a neighbouring suburb using the suburb safety check.
Preston crime, 2017–2026
Recorded incidents in Preston are 1% lower than a decade ago (4,835 in the year to March 2017 vs 4,794 now). Counts are total recorded criminal incidents in Preston 3072, year ending March. Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria.
What kind of crime happens in Preston?
| Offence category | Incidents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Property and deception offences | 3,471 | 72% |
| Crimes against the person | 532 | 11% |
| Justice procedures offences | 411 | 9% |
| Drug offences | 189 | 4% |
| Public order and security offences | 186 | 4% |
| Other offences | 5 | 0% |
Most recorded offences, year to March 2026
| Offence | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| Steal from a motor vehicle | 832 | |
| Steal from a retail store | 738 | |
| Other theft | 442 | |
| Criminal damage | 395 | |
| Motor vehicle theft | 224 | |
| Obtain benefit by deception | 193 |
Recent reports near Preston
No recent news incidents are logged for Preston right now. We track reports across Victoria on the live Crime Watch.
Put Preston 3072 on the patrol map
Melbourne households are pledging street by street. No card, no charge: a pledge is your household saying it wants a licensed dusk-to-dawn patrol here. The first suburbs to fill up get the car.
Get the free app in Preston
Panic switch that rings four contacts with your live location, verified incident alerts near home, and a calm morning brief for your suburb. Free on the App Store.
How Vigil Guard protects a home in Preston
Panic
Hold the button and it alerts your four contacts and your street with your live location. You call 000 yourself in a life-threatening emergency.
Lookout
One tap flags suspicious behaviour to your street. Three confirmed flags trigger a cluster alert. Behaviour only, never appearance.
Patrol
A licensed operator runs a logged slow-pass dusk to dawn once a street fills.Begins once licensed
Nearby areas in Darebin
Free safety tools
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria, Year ending March 2026. Council-area rates are per 100,000 residents. This report is for general information and is not a substitute for emergency services. In an emergency, call 000.