Mildura is among the top regional areas for crime hot spots that include Bendigo, Ballarat, Shepparton and Warrnambool.

Mildura tops the list of top five in robberies, assaults, home burglary, car thefts and drugs, while Red Cliffs also made the top five in homicides.

The statistics were collected through the crime records for every postcode in the state.

Inspector Simon Clemence from the Mildura police said in some cases it was good that Mildura came out in the top five.

“In regards to drugs, we don’t see it as a bad thing to be in the top five,” Insp Clemence said.

“Drugs are a detected crime, not a reported crime, which means police have done a good job in catching them.”

The data was collected through an investigation by a metropolitan newspaper.

For more of this story, purchase your copy of Tuesday’s Sunraysia Daily 07/09/2010.