Shotley Gate Crime Rate

Shotley Gate is a notably safe urban settlement within Babergh, characterized by a very high safety score of 94/100. The overall crime rate is currently 26.2 per 1,000 residents, which is significantly lower than the UK national average of 93.1. While the area enjoys a high level of security, there has been a recent upward trend in reported incidents, with crime increasing by 30.3% year-over-year. Despite this rise, Shotley Gate remains a peaceful community where property crime is particularly infrequent. The following data provides a detailed breakdown of local crime types, trends, and timing to help residents and visitors understand the local safety landscape.

Crime Breakdown in Shotley Gate

The most significant crime category in Shotley Gate is violence and sexual offences, accounting for 13 reported incidents or 30.2% of all crime. This is followed by anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson, which both represent 20.9% of the total. While these figures are relatively low in absolute terms, they form the core of local safety concerns.

Property-related crime, which includes burglary, vehicle crime, and various forms of theft, occurs at a rate of 9.8 per 1,000 residents. Other theft is the most prominent in this category (11.6%), while burglary and vehicle crime are notably infrequent, each making up just 2.3% of the total. For residents, this suggests that while the area is statistically very safe, maintaining standard security for personal belongings remains a sensible precaution to deter opportunistic theft.

Crime Trends in Shotley Gate

The crime rate in Shotley Gate has seen a notable increase of 30.3% over the past 12 months. Monthly data from late 2024 through 2025 shows a somewhat fluctuating pattern. The period began with a relatively high rate of 3.0 in November 2024, followed by a dip in January 2025 to 1.2. However, there was a significant spike in February 2025, reaching 3.7 crimes per 1,000 residents.

Throughout the spring and summer of 2025, the rate remained fairly consistent, oscillating between 1.8 and 3.0. The most recent data for October 2025 shows the rate settling back down to 1.2. While the year-over-year percentage increase is significant, it is important to contextualise this within the area's very low overall crime volume; a small increase in the number of reported incidents can lead to a large percentage shift. For residents, this suggests a need for continued vigilance despite the area's high safety score.

How To Keep Safe in Shotley Gate

The most prevalent crime type in Shotley Gate is violence and sexual offences. While the overall numbers are low, personal safety remains a priority. You should remain aware of your surroundings when walking alone, particularly in quieter areas near the water or during the hours of darkness.

To enhance your personal safety, consider walking with others when possible and sticking to well-lit, familiar routes. It is also advisable to let someone know your expected arrival time if you are out late. For home safety, ensure that your property appears occupied when you are away by using smart lighting or timers. Additionally, reporting any instances of anti-social behaviour to the local authorities helps maintain the high safety standards of the community and ensures that small issues do not escalate. Keeping a charged mobile phone with you and being mindful of your personal space in social settings are also simple but effective ways to stay safe.

Crime patterns in Shotley Gate show a distinct split between daytime and night-time activity. Theft-related offences are most prevalent during the morning (49%) and afternoon (54%), suggesting that these crimes often occur when residents are away at work or running errands. As the day progresses into the evening and night, the focus shifts towards "other" crimes, including anti-social behaviour and criminal damage, which account for 67% and 60% of reports in those periods respectively. Vehicle crime also reaches its peak frequency during the night-time hours (17%), highlighting the importance of securing cars overnight. Burglary remains a low but steady risk across all time periods, with a slight peak during the night.

When comparing Shotley Gate to its immediate neighbours, the area sits in a middle ground of regional safety. It is considerably more secure than the nearby coastal towns of Felixstowe, which has a crime rate of 56.3 per 1,000, and Harwich, which experiences a much higher rate of 95.7. However, it does record more activity than the very small, rural settlements of Shotley and Parkeston, both of which reported zero crimes per 1,000 people in the current period. For those looking for a balance between urban amenities and a secure environment, Shotley Gate offers a significantly safer alternative to the larger regional hubs while maintaining a low overall crime profile.

Despite Shotley Gate's low property crime rate of 9.8 per 1,000, homeowners should not become complacent. Traditional security often relies on reactive measures, such as cameras that simply record a crime as it happens. For a more effective approach, proactive protection is essential. scOS offers an AI-powered security operating system that transforms your cameras into an intelligent network. By detecting potential threats at the boundary of your property, scOS can intervene before a crime occurs. Its multi-camera intelligence and vehicle verification features are designed to distinguish between a delivery driver and a genuine threat, providing peace of mind without constant false alarms. In a quiet area like Shotley Gate, the visible presence of a professional-grade, proactive system is often enough to make an opportunist move on to an easier target.