Rural Bath and North East Somerset Crime Rate December 2023 | Monthly Statistics

In December 2023, Rural Bath and North East Somerset recorded 54 crimes across its population of 16,819 residents, yielding a crime rate of 3.2 per 1,000—a figure 55.6% below the UK average. This stark contrast to the national rate highlights the area’s relatively low crime profile, despite seasonal factors such as Christmas shopping, dark evenings, and the temporary absence of residents during the holiday period. The breakdown of crimes reveals a clear dominance of property-related offences: violence and sexual offences accounted for 35.2% of all incidents (19 cases), while burglary (18.5%) and shoplifting (16.7%) followed. This property-violence balance may reflect the area’s built-up character, where retail spaces and public areas could drive shoplifting, while the overall low rate suggests effective community policing or the influence of rural-urban dynamics that dilute crime concentration. Violence and sexual offences, though the most common category, remain 58% below the UK average, indicating that local efforts to address violent crime may be working. Meanwhile, burglary’s rate (0.6 per 1,000) is 71% above the UK average, a discrepancy that could signal vulnerabilities in residential security or the presence of targeted properties in the built-up area. The seasonal context of December—marked by holiday shopping and empty homes—may have contributed to the spike in shoplifting and burglary, though the overall rate remains low compared to national benchmarks. This data underscores a combination of local conditions and broader trends, with the area’s crime profile shaped by its unique mix of rural and urban elements.

December 2023 marked a sharp rise in shoplifting, with cases surging 800% from one to nine incidents—a jump far exceeding other categories. Burglary also saw a 400% increase, rising from two to ten cases, while public order offences surged by the same proportion, growing from one to five. These spikes in property-related crimes contrasted with a 60% decline in anti-social behaviour, vehicle crime, and other theft, suggesting a shift in criminal activity patterns. Violent crimes, however, remained below the UK average, with violence and sexual offences at 1.1 per 1,000 residents—58% lower than the national rate. For residents, the daily crime count of two incidents provides a tangible measure of local risk, though the overall rate remains well below the UK average. The sharp increase in shoplifting may reflect holiday shopping pressures or targeted retail activity in the area’s built-up zones.

The crime rate in Rural Bath and North East Somerset rose by 80.3% from 1.8 to 3.2 per 1,000 residents between November and December 2023. While this increase is notable, the area remains significantly safer than the UK average, with a rate 55.6% below the national figure. On a daily basis, approximately two crimes were reported each day in December—a figure that, while consistent with the area’s low overall rate, may reflect seasonal factors such as increased foot traffic during Christmas shopping. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 311 residents, illustrating that the population’s exposure to crime remains relatively low compared to national benchmarks. This monthly exposure metric, when contextualised against the area’s population of 16,819, underscores that the majority of residents experienced no crime during the month. The absence of a UK daily comparison figure means this local data remains a unique indicator of the area’s crime profile, shaped by its rural-urban mix and seasonal rhythms.