Sentenced after jumping from car during mid-sale drug bust in Ballarat

Dealer sentenced to community order after police caught him mid-sale drug deal.

Why it mattersSpies was caught red-handed mid-sale with evidence of dealing, yet the court chose rehabilitation over jail.

AustraliaNo direct impact on Australian drug policy. One Ballarat dealer's sentencing shows how Victorian courts can order community work instead of jail.

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Close-up of blue police vehicle lights on Australian patrol car

✓ 7NEWSPower & Policy

Victoria's car thefts and break-ins surge far past every other state

Victoria's home break-ins nearly doubled NSW and Queensland combined, while Melbourne topped all other capitals in car thefts.

Why it mattersRising property crime drives up insurance premiums for all Victorians and signals a public safety problem the police alone cannot fix.