AUSTRALIA'S big banks are under pressure over the latest credit card technology after Victorian police reported a massive jump in thefts and crime. The state's overall crime rate for deceptions has soared around 30 per cent in the past 12 months, according to quarterly police statistics released on Wednesday. Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Lucinda Nolan says the significant rise is largely attributed to the use of new tap-and-go cards, which allow customers to make purchases without a PIN or signature. Tap-and-go cards are being stolen from mailboxes, handbags and cars before being repeatedly used by thieves for days, she said. She says police plan to meet with banking leaders to urge them to think about "mutual responsibility" when such cards are made with no security features. "We need to make sure that they understand not only the impact on community safety they're having, but the impact on Victoria Police," she said on Wednesday. There's only so much we can put our resources into. She says lowering spending limits on cards wouldn't be a solution. Why have any theft facilitated? The push against tap-and-go cards came as police also reported the state's overall crime rate had jumped by 2.7 per cent in the past 12 months, largely due to assaults and drugs. Drug offences jumped by 8.8 per cent, which police attribute to increased policing, while crimes against the person have risen by 2.5 per cent. The number of assaults also jumped by four per cent - but many were related to family violence incidents. Robbery, however, is down 18.3 per cent, while property crimes have also dropped, including car thefts, which are down 9.5 per cent. The statistics are calculated based on crimes per 100,000 people and compare recorded crime over the 12 months to September 2013. Homicides and sexual assaults are not included in the quarterly releases.