Barnham (Arun) Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Shoplifting dominates Barnham (Arun)'s crime profile in January 2024, accounting for 27.7% of all reported incidents. At 23 cases, this category far exceeds the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000 residents by 391%, highlighting a significant local challenge. The overall crime rate of 10.0 per 1,000 residents places the area 35.1% above the UK average of 7.4, underscoring a need for targeted interventions. Anti-social behaviour (19.3%) and violence and sexual offences (25.3%) follow as the next most common categories, with the latter slightly below the UK average. January's seasonal context—post-holiday retail lulls, shorter daylight hours, and reduced foot traffic—likely contributes to the dominance of shoplifting, as fewer shoppers may deter opportunistic theft. The area's built-up character within Arun, potentially featuring retail hubs or high streets, aligns with shoplifting trends observed in similar urban centres. Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour's sharp rise above the UK average suggests ongoing community tensions or unmet policing needs. The crime picture remains distinct from the UK average, with property crimes (42) outpacing violent crimes (21), a balance consistent with areas where commercial activity drives theft. However, the relatively low rate of vehicle crime (0.5 per 1,000) and public order offences (17% below UK average) may reflect effective local measures or lower levels of nightlife activity.

January 2024 saw dramatic fluctuations in specific crime categories, with public order offences surging by 200% (1 to 3 cases) and drugs-related incidents doubling from 0 to 1. This contrasts with a 34.4% decline in violence and sexual offences, dropping from 32 to 21 cases—a shift potentially linked to seasonal factors or targeted policing efforts. Shoplifting's dominance (23 cases) remains starkly above the UK average, with 391% higher rates, suggesting persistent challenges in retail environments. Anti-social behaviour, at 16 cases, is 92% above the UK average, indicating a local issue requiring community engagement. Vehicle crime and other theft cases, however, align closely with national trends (vehicle crime: -0% below UK average; other theft: 12% below). The 27.7% share of shoplifting cases highlights a unique vulnerability, possibly tied to the area's commercial infrastructure or post-holiday retail dynamics. Residents may find the 200% increase in public order offences particularly noteworthy, as it could signal emerging patterns in local interactions or unaddressed social issues.

Barnham (Arun)'s crime rate rose 9.3% from 9.2 per 1,000 in December 2023 to 10.0 per 1,000 in January 2024, marking a slight upward trend. This increase, though modest, places the area's monthly exposure at one crime per 100 residents—a figure that, while locally specific, underscores the frequency of incidents in a relatively small population of 8,276. Daily crime counts averaged 3 incidents per day in January, a rate that, while not extreme, reflects the area's ongoing challenges in maintaining low-level crime control. Comparing this to the UK average, Barnham's 10.0 rate remains 35.1% higher, a disparity that may be attributed to its built-up nature and potential concentration of retail or social hubs. The population-scaled perspective reveals that each resident faces a 1-in-100 chance of being directly affected by a reported crime over the course of the month—a statistic that, while not alarmingly high, necessitates continued attention to local crime prevention strategies. This context is critical for residents and local authorities, as it highlights the need to balance resource allocation between addressing dominant issues like shoplifting and managing the broader crime profile.