Rural Arun Crime Rate December 2025 | Monthly Statistics

December 2025 brought a marked improvement in Rural Arun’s crime rate, with an overall figure of 5.4 per 1,000 residents—22.9% below the UK average. This reduction, despite the month’s typical challenges of dark evenings and holiday-related disruptions, suggests a combination of seasonal factors and localized efforts contributing to a safer environment. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for 39.3% of all reported incidents, followed by anti-social behaviour (16.4%) and criminal damage and arson (9.8%). The lower-than-average rates for violence, anti-social behaviour, and shoplifting align with the area’s rural character, where community cohesion and limited nightlife may temper certain types of crime. However, the seasonal context of December—marked by Christmas shopping, party season, and empty homes over holidays—likely influenced the persistence of property crimes such as burglary and criminal damage. The increase in possession of weapons, while significant, remains an outlier and may reflect isolated incidents rather than a broader trend. This data illustrates that Rural Arun’s crime profile, though not immune to fluctuations, continues to benefit from the structural advantages of a low-density, built-up area within a rural district, where community vigilance and limited urban density may play a role in sustaining lower crime rates.

December 2025 marked a sharp rise in burglary, with a 200% increase from one to three incidents, and criminal damage and arson also surged by 200%, rising from two to six. These spikes, though significant, remain below the UK average for both categories. Conversely, other theft decreased by 33.3%, and other crime fell by 50%, suggesting targeted efforts or seasonal patterns may have influenced these trends. The rate of violence and sexual offences in Rural Arun was 18% below the UK average, with 2.1 per 1,000 residents, while possession of weapons saw an extraordinary 329% increase, reaching 0.3 per 1,000 compared to the UK’s 0.1 per 1,000. This discrepancy may reflect localized factors, such as increased enforcement or shifts in reporting behavior. For residents, the 65% drop in shoplifting compared to the UK average offers a tangible reassurance about local retail safety during the Christmas season.

The crime rate in Rural Arun rose by 17.4% compared to the previous month, moving from 4.6 to 5.4 per 1,000 residents. While this increase is notable, the area remains 22.9% below the UK average, highlighting its continued position as a relatively safer built-up area within Arun. On a daily basis, the region experienced an average of two reported crimes per day in December 2025, a figure that, while low, may reflect the seasonal dynamics of the area. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 186 residents, a monthly exposure rate that underscores the rarity of crime in this rural setting. This statistic, when considered alongside the population context, illustrates that residents face a significantly lower risk of encountering crime compared to the national average. The shift in the crime mix—particularly the rise in burglary and criminal damage—suggests that local factors, such as holiday-related disruptions or changes in resident behavior, may have influenced these figures. However, the overall trajectory of the area’s crime profile remains one of relative stability, even as specific categories show notable fluctuations.