Arun Crime Rate July 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominated crime reporting in Arun during July 2023, accounting for 31.9% of all reported incidents. This category alone recorded 471 crimes, marking a 1% increase above the UK average of 2.8 per 1,000 residents. The overall crime rate for the month stood at 8.7 per 1,000 residents, placing Arun 4.8% above the UK's national average of 8.3. This discrepancy highlights a distinct pattern in local crime dynamics, with violent crimes affecting the area compared to the broader UK context. Seasonal factors likely contributed to this trend, as July is typically a peak month for outdoor events, tourism, and festivals in coastal regions like Arun. The high volume of violent offences may be linked to increased foot traffic in town centres and social gatherings, although no definitive causal link can be established from the data alone. Anti-social behaviour, while still a concern, represented a smaller proportion of total crimes (13.5%) and showed a 7.9% decline month-on-month, possibly reflecting seasonal shifts in community activity. The data also reveals an unusual spike in criminal damage and arson, with 187 incidents recorded—72% above the UK average. This could be attributed to the heightened presence of transient populations during summer, though this remains speculative without further contextual analysis. The local crime profile thus reflects a combination of resident demographics, tourism patterns, and seasonal activity, with violent crime emerging as the most significant driver of reported incidents in Arun during this period.

July 2023 saw dramatic month-on-month changes in specific crime categories. Shoplifting experienced a staggering 234.1% increase, rising from 44 to 147 incidents—a figure 50% above the UK average. This surge may be linked to the summer season's impact on retail environments, with increased foot traffic and potentially vulnerable staffing levels during peak tourist periods. Concurrently, criminal damage and arson rose by 122.6%, jumping from 84 to 187 cases—72% above the UK average. This spike, while not uncommon in areas with transient populations, deserves closer attention given its magnitude. In contrast, anti-social behaviour decreased by 7.9% (216 to 199), a decline that may reflect seasonal patterns in community interactions during the summer months. Vehicle crime rose by 133.3%, from 30 to 70 incidents, though this remains 17% below the UK average. This suggests that while vehicle-related crimes are increasing locally, they remain relatively low compared to national trends. The data also reveals that Arun's rate of violence and sexual offences is exactly aligned with the UK average (2.8 per 1,000), despite contributing to the overall crime rate. This highlights the need for targeted interventions in violent crime prevention, particularly during periods of heightened social activity.

Arun's crime rate in July 2023 (8.7 per 1,000 residents) represented a 33.7% increase compared to June's rate of 6.5 per 1,000. This jump equates to roughly 48 crimes reported per day—equivalent to one incident for every 115 residents over the course of the month. When contextualised against the local population of 170,064, this figure suggests that residents are statistically more likely to encounter crime than the UK average. The daily crime count provides a tangible benchmark for residents: in any given day, approximately 48 incidents occur across the district, spanning everything from violent offences to property crimes. This rate is particularly notable when compared to the UK average, which would translate to around 45 crimes per day in a similarly sized area. The population-scaled perspective also reveals that 1 in every 115 residents experienced a reported crime during July, a figure that may feel more immediate to locals than abstract statistics. This comparison underscores the importance of community engagement and localised policing strategies, as the increase from the previous month suggests a need for adaptive approaches to crime prevention. While the reasons behind this rise, the seasonal context of July—characterised by festivals, open-air events, and extended daylight hours—likely plays a role in shaping these patterns.