Harworth and Bircotes Crime Rate November 2024 | Monthly Statistics

November 2024 marked a dramatic shift in Harworth and Bircotes' crime profile, with shoplifting surging to become the most prevalent category. The area recorded 33 crimes in total, translating to a crime rate of 4.6 per 1,000 residents — 39.5% below the UK average of 7.6 per 1,000. This stark divergence from national trends underscores the unique dynamics of this built-up area within Bassetlaw, where low-density housing and limited commercial activity may contribute to lower overall crime levels. Shoplifting (30.3% of all crimes) and violence and sexual offences (27.3%) dominated the breakdown. While shoplifting spiked during the Black Friday shopping period, violent crimes decreased by 40% compared to October. Anti-social behaviour, which accounted for 15.2% of incidents, fell sharply by 61.5% month-on-month, potentially reflecting seasonal changes in community activity. The area’s crime picture is shaped by its character as a semi-rural built-up area with minimal nightlife infrastructure, which may explain the absence of violent crime spikes typically seen in urban centres. However, the surge in shoplifting aligns with November’s commercial rhythms, as retailers prepare for the festive season and consumers seek post-Black Friday deals. This combination of seasonal demand and the area’s retail landscape likely contributes to the sharp increase in thefts, even as other crime types decline. The overall rate remains significantly below UK averages, suggesting that local factors — such as community cohesion or policing strategies — may play a role in sustaining lower crime levels despite the shoplifting spike.

The most striking change in November 2024 was the 900% increase in shoplifting, rising from one incident in October to ten in November. This surge, coinciding with Black Friday and the lead-up to Christmas, highlights the vulnerability of local retail outlets to opportunistic theft during high-traffic periods. Public order offences also rose by 300%, with four incidents reported compared to one in October, potentially linked to the darker evenings and increased foot traffic around Harworth’s small retail hubs. Robbery, though minimal, doubled from zero to one incident, a rare but notable shift. In contrast, anti-social behaviour dropped by 61.5% as the month progressed, possibly due to reduced public gatherings during colder weather. Violence and sexual offences fell by 40%, aligning with the area’s generally low violent crime profile. Shoplifting in Harworth and Bircotes (1.4 per 1,000) is 103% above the UK average (0.7 per 1,000), indicating that while overall crime is low, specific retail-related offences are higher. This contrast may reflect the area’s limited commercial infrastructure, where a few high-traffic stores become focal points for theft. For residents, the sharp rise in shoplifting underscores the need for enhanced retail security measures, particularly in the lead-up to major shopping events.

Compared to October 2024, November 2024 saw a 28.3% decrease in Harworth and Bircotes’ crime rate, falling from 6.4 to 4.6 per 1,000 residents. This decline places the area’s monthly crime exposure at one reported incident for every 219 residents, a figure that contextualises the low overall rate within the local population of 7,226. On a daily basis, the area experienced roughly one crime per day in November, a manageable frequency for a small built-up area. However, the 900% spike in shoplifting disrupts this otherwise stable trend, illustrating how seasonal commercial activity can temporarily override broader patterns of decline. The area’s crime rate remains 39.5% below the UK average, a gap that reflects both its semi-rural nature and potentially effective local policing. When compared to national averages, Harworth and Bircotes’ shoplifting rate is 103% higher than the UK average (0.7 per 1,000), suggesting that while the area is generally safer, retail-specific vulnerabilities require targeted attention. For residents, the combination of low overall crime and high shoplifting rates highlights the importance of community-focused prevention strategies, such as shopkeeper liaison programmes, to address this outlier category without compromising the area’s overall safety.