Retford Crime Rate October 2025 | Monthly Statistics

October 2025 marked a stark contrast in Retford’s crime profile, with bicycle theft surging by 100% compared to September. This dramatic rise in one category overshadowed broader trends, highlighting the unpredictable nature of crime in a built-up area within Bassetlaw. The overall crime rate for the month stood at 5.4 per 1,000 residents, placing Retford 29.9% below the UK average of 7.7 per 1,000. This gap reflects a combination of local factors and seasonal patterns, as October’s shorter evenings and Halloween festivities may have influenced offender behaviour. Violence and sexual offences remained the most reported category, accounting for 30.8% of all crimes, though this rate was 36% below the UK average. Anti-social behaviour followed closely at 19.2%, also significantly lower than the national benchmark. Shoplifting, however, stood out as an exception, with rates 59% above the UK average, possibly driven by retail activity during the pre-Christmas period. The seasonal context of October—when clocks go back and daylight hours shrink—likely contributed to shifts in crime patterns, with property crimes such as shoplifting and bicycle theft rising due to increased foot traffic in commercial areas. Meanwhile, violent crimes remained relatively low compared to national trends, suggesting that community policing efforts or local demographics may play a role in mitigating such incidents. The interplay of these factors illustrates the complex dynamics shaping crime in Retford, even as the area continues to maintain a safer profile than the UK average.

The most striking shift in October 2025 was the 100% month-on-month increase in bicycle theft, with incidents rising from 0 to 3. This jump, though small in absolute terms, signals a potential vulnerability in local security measures or changes in commuter patterns. Conversely, burglary fell sharply by 83.3%, declining from 6 to 1, a reduction that may reflect improved home security awareness or seasonal factors such as reduced outdoor activity. Other notable changes included a 62.5% drop in other theft, likely tied to the same broader trend of lower property crime. Meanwhile, shoplifting rates remained 59% above the UK average, a persistent outlier that could be attributed to the area’s retail infrastructure and foot traffic. Violence and sexual offences, while still the most common category, remained 36% below the national average, suggesting that Retford’s built-up area may have lower levels of interpersonal conflict compared to other regions. The contrast between these trends—sharp declines in some categories and sustained above-average rates in others—highlights the uneven nature of crime prevention efforts. For residents, the most immediately relevant insight is the doubling of bicycle theft cases, which may prompt renewed attention to securing bikes in public spaces.

Retford’s crime rate in October 2025 was 5.4 per 1,000 residents, a 22.6% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 7.0 per 1,000. This decline, while modest, aligns with the area’s consistent performance relative to the UK average. On a daily basis, the 130 total crimes recorded over October equated to roughly 4 crimes per day, a figure that may seem high in isolation but places Retford well below the national average when considered proportionally. Monthly exposure calculations show that over the course of October, 1 reported crime occurred for every 186 residents—a ratio that underscores the relatively low risk of victimisation in this built-up area. When contextualised against the UK average, Retford’s overall crime rate remains 29.9% lower, a gap that has likely been widened by the sharp decline in burglary and other property crimes. The population context also reveals that, despite the 130 total crimes, the 24,171 residents of Retford experienced a crime rate that is significantly lower than the national benchmark. This suggests that local initiatives—whether through policing, community engagement, or infrastructure—may be contributing to the area’s safer profile. However, the persistence of shoplifting and bicycle theft above UK averages indicates that certain vulnerabilities remain, requiring targeted interventions to address these specific crime types.