By YIQIONG SHANG

Police are increasing patrols around Melbourne University after a spate of petty thefts, often targeting Chinese students, around the campus. 

Fifty-six people had been arrested for theft and 13 people for robbery in the Melbourne and Carlton areas this year, police said.

“While no physical injuries have been inflicted, the events have understandably been quite confronting for the victims,”  police said in a press release.

Most of the thefts occurred late at night and were aimed at victims carrying mobile phones.

One of the incidents that sparked concern among overseas students took place last month during the city’s Moomba Festival when a Chinese student was robbed when a fight erupted between rival street gangs.

The victim, a Chinese student from Kilmore International School, emailed the Consulate-General of China in Melbourne for help, prompting coverage of the incident in Chinese media.

In the email the student said a gang of about 20 people approached him near RMIT University at 8pm on March 12.

“One of them robbed my phone then ran away,” the email reads.

Many international student associations of universities in Melbourne have contacted the Consulate-General of China to report similar robberies and thefts.

Vice Consul-General Lin Jing, together with senior officers from the Victorian Government and Victoria Police, gave a lecture about the issue of international students’ safety at the University of Melbourne last month.

The Vice Consul-General suggested overseas students should learn about local laws and also become aware of self-protection.

North Melbourne Police Leading Senior-Constable Nick Parissis said in the lecture students reporting crimes to the police would help prevent future crimes taking place.

He said being a victim of crime would not affect a student’s visa in any way.

“In regards to reporting crime, it is very important students feel comfortable enough to report incidents when they occur,” he said.

Given the spate of incidents affecting Chinese students, Victoria Police will be increasing security patrols around the University of Melbourne area over the coming weeks.

Head of the department of information for the Chinese Students and Scholars Association of University of Melbourne (CSSA) Wenxi Han said safety for international students was an ongoing issue, making it important for students to defend their rights.

Ms Han said most of the Chinese students lacked the necessary knowledge and awareness to safeguard these rights and tended not to report the crimes.

International Students Association of Victoria University general secretary Karen Wang said international students needed to prioritise their personal safety when in the city.

“Since most students have been panicked about the gang fight around Flinders St, as an international student … if you can, learn more knowledge about law, because that is the most powerful way to protect yourself,” she said.