Figures for 2007-08 released last week showed a 6.2 per cent drop in the Knox police service area's overall crime rate to 8960 reported offences.

Recorded offence numbers rose for robberies (up 81.8 per cent to 95 offences) and sex crimes, excluding rape (up 54.6 per cent to 269 offences).

Superintendent Andrew Crisp said most street robberies were opportunistic and involved young people as both victims and offenders.

"Items most commonly stolen include cash, mobile phones and MP3 players.

"What we are also finding is that young people committing these robberies have little or no understanding of the seriousness of the offence," Superintendent Crisp said.

Bayswater MP Heidi Victoria urged the State Government to stop "ignoring the needs of the people of Knox".

Some crime categories had declined, however, the offences which were preventable through greater police presence had skyrocketed, she said.

Eastern Metropolitan MP Shaun Leane said police statistics showed Knox crime rates had continued to fall since 2000-01, particularly in areas such as residential burglaries and theft of motor vehicles.

"Locally, the crime rate has decreased by more than 20per cent since Labor came to Government, which is a testament to our record investment in police resources and the continuing hard work of our local police."