Babergh Crime Rate December 2025 | Monthly Statistics

For a population of nearly 97,000 residents, Babergh recorded 347 crimes in December 2025, translating to a crime rate of 3.6 per 1,000 people—48.6% below the UK average of 7.0 per 1,000. This figures as one of the lowest rates in the country, reflecting the area’s largely rural character and smaller urban centres. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for 49.3% of all reported incidents, followed by criminal damage and arson (11.5%) and anti-social behaviour (6.6%). These patterns align with the seasonal context of December, a month marked by extended evenings, holiday gatherings, and increased retail activity. While the prominence of violent crime may seem counterintuitive for a rural area, it could partly explain the seasonal spike in incidents tied to alcohol-fuelled disputes during festive periods. Property-related crimes were comparatively rare, with vehicle crime (0.1 per 1,000) and burglary (0.1 per 1,000) both significantly below the UK average. This contrast with urban centres highlights Babergh’s lower density of commercial hubs and public spaces that typically drive property crime. The area’s crime profile also shows a marked absence of theft from the person, which was 100% below the UK average, suggesting effective community policing or fewer opportunities in rural settings. These figures underscore a combination of geography, demographics, and seasonal rhythms that shape local crime trends.

December 2025 saw notable shifts in crime patterns compared to November, with several categories experiencing significant changes. Other crime surged by 133.3%, rising from 3 to 7 incidents—a jump that may reflect increased reporting during the holiday season or unseasonal activity. Theft from the person also doubled, rising from 0 to 4 cases, a change that could indicate heightened vigilance or altered patterns of public movement during the festive period. Meanwhile, criminal damage and arson increased by 37.9%, linked to the Christmas shopping rush or seasonal maintenance work. On the decline side, public order offences fell by 31.0%, due to reduced outdoor activity in colder weather or tighter community monitoring. Anti-social behaviour also dropped by 17.9%, a decrease that may align with the quieter nature of rural areas during the holiday season. These fluctuations highlight the dynamic nature of local crime trends, with some categories—like violence and sexual offences—remaining high compared to the UK average (30% below). Conversely, anti-social behaviour was 78% below the UK average, illustrating the area’s relatively low levels of disruptive conduct. The data also reveals a stark absence of theft from the person, which was entirely below the UK average, a figure that may reflect the area’s low population density and limited public spaces. These insights provide a nuanced picture of how local conditions interact with national crime trends.

Babergh’s crime rate of 3.6 per 1,000 residents in December 2025 remained stable compared to November, with no significant month-on-month change (0.6% variation). This consistency suggests that the area’s underlying crime dynamics are resilient to short-term fluctuations, a characteristic often seen in rural regions with lower population mobility. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 11 crimes per day—a figure that, while non-trivial, is manageable for a community of this size. When scaled to the population, this translates to one reported crime occurring for roughly every 280 residents over the course of the month—a rate that places Babergh firmly in the safer half of UK local authorities. This monthly exposure metric offers a tangible way for residents to contextualise their risk, showing that the likelihood of encountering crime is relatively low compared to urban counterparts. The area’s population size also plays a role in these figures: with 97,033 residents, the absolute number of crimes (347) appears modest when distributed across a large geographic footprint. This suggests that crime is not evenly dispersed but concentrated in specific pockets, such as small towns or transport hubs, which may explain the dominance of violent crime despite the rural setting. The comparison to the UK average further underscores Babergh’s distinct profile, with most categories—particularly anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime—showing marked underperformance relative to national trends. These metrics collectively illustrate a community that, while not immune to crime, benefits from structural factors that limit its prevalence.