My car was recently stolen, in an aggravated burglary while at home with our young children. The intruders took my car keys, cash, and other personal belongings. Police later arrested the offenders following a long high-speed pursuit, after the offenders pulled chase, with a police helicopter needed. All offenders, who were under 18 years old and known repeat offenders, were released on bail immediately after their arrest.

On Christmas Eve, our young child was having trouble falling asleep. In any normal household, you’d think they were excited about Santa. Not ours. “What’s wrong” I asked, as I lay down for a cuddle. Through a flood of tears my child asked “What happens if the bad guys break in when I’m sleeping and steal me”...

I thought the biggest fairy-tale I would have to tell my child at Christmas would be something to do with Santa. Despite my best efforts to shield them from what had happened, it's obvious young kids are more perceptive than we give them credit for. “Are the bad guys in jail” they asked, “Yes sweetheart" I reassured "the police caught the bad guys and put them in jail” knowing well that police had no option but to release the offenders on bail - like so many youth (and non-youth) offenders before them. Now, whenever I drive with my family, I can’t help but worry that at any intersection, there could be someone too young to legally drive, recklessly using a vehicle as a deadly weapon - enabled by a government that allows it to happen.

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Why am I here?

I am demanding action from the Victorian Government on behalf of all victims of vehicle theft and every Victorian who’s paying the price - whether through soaring insurance premiums or the risks to public safety.

Across Victoria repeat offenders are cycling through a justice system that prioritises their rights over community safety and victim justice. The examples speak for themselves:

• From 27 December to 2 January alone, 41 people were arrested for car thefts, aggravated burglaries, and armed robberies in Melbourne’s east and southeast. Many were youths, some as young as 12, charged with over 150 offences combined (source)
• Six teenagers were arrested on 8 January after multi-vehicle crash on the Monash Freeway, allegedly in a stolen vehicle (source)
• Hundreds of reports of stolen vehicles from all over Victoria that  can be found on Facebook group 'Stolen Vehicles in Victoria'

The majority of those arrested were released on bail and were repeat offenders.

There has been plenty of talk and publicity about the failures in the bail and justice system - the time for talk is over.

It’s time to demand real action.

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What We Stand For

We demand the Victorian Government to address the systemic failures that prioritise offender rights over public safety and victim protection, including:

1. Reform Bail Conditions and Bail Laws

• Strengthen bail laws to prioritise public safety over offender rights with stricter eligibility criteria and enhanced monitoring.
• Expand detention capacity to prevent offenders being released due to facility shortages, and review budget allocations for current facilities to ensure costs are allocated effectively.

2. Adequately Resource Victoria Police

• Improve pay, working conditions, and funding to address staffing shortages and increasing demands.
• Ensure the costs of resource-intensive operations (such as high speed helicopter pursuits) are transferred to the offender themselves, for example stricter bail decisions and sentencing.

3. Stop Rising Insurance Costs Due to Crime

• Offer free or subsidised theft-prevention solutions, such as GPS trackers and immobilisers to policyholders.
• Highlight the connection between crime rates and insurance premiums to ensure fairer outcomes for ALL policyholders.
• Prevent theft victims from bearing increased insurance premiums as a result of theft (victims can expect a 33% increase in premiums for 5 years, as insurers automatically classify them as 'high risk' after their theft claim).

4. Address Youth Offender Accountability

• Implement stricter accountability measures for youth offenders and their legal guardians.
• Develop comprehensive policies to deter youth offending, appropriately dealing with repeat offenders and prioritise rehabilitation.

5. Address Criminal Behaviour on Social Media

• Advocate for stricter social media policies to combat criminal content and remove posts glorifying illegal activities.
• Streamline evidence collection to enable quicker identification and action against online criminal behaviour.

6. Strengthen Sentencing Guidelines

• Implement consistent and proportional sentencing policies that balance fairness and public safety.
• Introduce mandatory minimum sentencing for violent and repeat offenders to ensure accountability.

7. Simplify Burden of Proof for Linking Offenders to Stolen Vehicles

• Reform systemic barriers to prosecuting aggravated burglary linked to vehicle theft (i.e. offenders can't be charged unless they leave fingerprints or DNA, even though they are in possession of stolen vehicles)
• Expand the admissibility of evidence to include circumstantial evidence, CCTV, eyewitness accounts, and digital trails.

8. Engage Local Governments and Councils

• Encourage local governments to prioritise crime prevention in high-risk areas through proactive measures.

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Why did I start this petition?

This isn’t just my story. Across Victoria, crime statistics tell the same tale. Victoria Police can dedicate all their resources and energy to apprehending criminals, yet the current bail system in Victoria allows repeat offenders—some not even old enough to legally drive—caught speeding at top speeds in stolen vehicles to walk free.

While I am prohibited from knowing any details about the offenders who stole my car, they know exactly who I am and where I live, having possession of my ID. They even had a key to my home (though the locks have since been changed). Under the current system, police are powerless to detain offenders like this. Even if they were remanded in custody, their detention conditions would likely surpass the living standards of many hard working Australians. Like all other victims of a crime like this, while the criminals that stole my car are walking free and re-offending, the costs I've incurred as a result of this theft continue to climb.

Even though these offenders were found in possession of my car, the police are unable to charge them with aggravated burglary because they left no fingerprints or DNA at the scene at my home. This is the reality we face in Victoria: as long as a criminal wears gloves or covers their hands with a hoodie, they can evade charges for aggravated burglary—even when they are caught with your stolen vehicle.

Every Victorian is paying the cost of these systemic failures through rising insurance premiums. Year after year, I watched my own premiums climb without fully understanding the reason—until now. Many people are also forced to invest in GPS trackers or immobilisation devices at their own expense, trying to protect themselves and their hard-earned property.

Someone has to do something, so why not us?

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Why This Matters

Victoria’s justice system is broken. Police work tirelessly to protect us and enforce the law, but the current framework undermines their efforts, prioritising offender rights over community safety. It’s time to stand up, demand accountability, and push for reforms that protect victims and deter crime.

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Join Us

Someone has to take action. Why not us? Together, we can push for a justice system that values safety, fairness, and accountability.

Every signature and every share helps send a powerful message: we are united in demanding change.