Belper Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

The balance of crime types in Belper during January 2024 reveals a distinct pattern, with violence and sexual offences making up nearly half of all reported crimes. This contrasts sharply with the UK average, where such offences account for 42% of the total. The area's crime profile is marked by a significant disparity between violent and property-related crimes, with the former dominating at 44.1% of the total (30 cases) compared to property crimes at 28.8% (20 cases). This emphasis on violent crime is consistent with Belper's character as a post-industrial town within Amber Valley, where community dynamics and local infrastructure may influence such patterns. Seasonal factors also play a role: January, a post-holiday period with reduced retail footfall and shorter days, likely contributes to lower property crime rates but may not fully explain the elevated proportion of violent incidents. The UK average for violence and sexual offences is 2.6 per 1,000, yet Belper's rate of 1.5 per 1,000 is 42% below this figure, suggesting localised factors may temper such crimes. Anti-social behaviour, another notable category (11.8% of total crimes), is also significantly below the UK average (60% lower), reflecting community engagement efforts or lower population density. These data points illustrate how Belper's crime mix diverges from national trends, shaped by its specific demographic and geographic context.

January 2024 saw marked fluctuations in specific crime categories, with other theft experiencing a 200% increase from 2 to 6 cases, and theft from the person rising by 100% (from 0 to 2). These spikes may signal shifting criminal priorities, possibly linked to local events or changes in economic conditions. Conversely, criminal damage and arson fell by 53.8% (from 13 to 6), and vehicle crime dropped by 33.3% (from 3 to 2), reflecting seasonal trends or reduced outdoor activity during colder months. The crime mix also shifted towards violent offences, with violence and sexual offences (44.1% of total crimes) outpacing property crimes (28.8%). This imbalance is notable given the UK average for violent crime is 42% below Belper's rate, yet the area still maintains a lower overall crime rate than the national average. Another striking contrast is the category of 'other crime,' which exceeded the UK average by 43% (0.2 per 1,000 vs 0.1 per 1,000), though this remains a small portion of the total. Residents might find the 100% increase in theft from the person particularly relevant, as it could indicate targeted opportunistic behaviour in public spaces during the post-holiday period.

Belper's crime rate in January 2024 remained stable compared to December 2023, with both months recording a rate of 3.5 per 1,000 residents. This consistency suggests no major shifts in criminal activity over the period. On a daily basis, Belper experienced approximately 2 crimes per day in January, a figure that contextualises the pace of incidents within the area's population of 19,732. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 290 residents, a monthly exposure rate that places Belper well below the UK average for most categories. For example, vehicle crime in Belper (0.1 per 1,000) is 80% below the UK average (0.5 per 1,000), and anti-social behaviour (0.4 per 1,000) is 60% below the UK rate (1.0 per 1,000). These figures highlight Belper's relatively low crime environment, even as it maintains a higher proportion of violent offences compared to other areas. The population-scaled perspective underscores that while crime exists, its frequency is low enough that most residents are unlikely to experience it directly. This is particularly evident in categories like burglary (0.1 per 1,000) and shoplifting (0.2 per 1,000), both of which are significantly below UK averages, reinforcing Belper's status as a safer area within the UK's broader crime profile.