Wootton (Bedford) Crime Rate November 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Wootton (Bedford) continues to demonstrate a markedly lower crime profile than the UK average, with November 2024 recording a crime rate of 2.8 per 1,000 residents—63.2% below the national figure of 7.6. This sustained safety is most evident in the dominance of violence and sexual offences, which accounted for 57.7% of all reported crimes, followed by anti-social behaviour at 19.2%. These figures align with the area’s character as a relatively low-density built-up zone within Bedford, where community cohesion and limited high-traffic commercial hubs may contribute to lower property crime rates. Seasonal factors in November, including darker evenings and the proximity of Bonfire Night, could have influenced the spike in violence and sexual offences, though the overall rate remains significantly below national benchmarks. Anti-social behaviour, while still a concern, showed a notable drop in its share of total crimes compared to previous months, suggesting potential shifts in community dynamics or local interventions. The absence of major property crime categories—such as burglary, vehicle crime, and criminal damage—further underscores the area’s comparatively safe environment, with all these categories falling well below UK averages. This pattern contrasts with broader UK trends, where property crime often dominates, and highlights the unique socio-economic profile of Wootton as a small, integrated part of Bedford’s urban fabric. The low crime rate, coupled with the seasonal context, illustrates a community where crime prevention efforts may be particularly effective, though the exact mechanisms remain to be explored.

November 2024 saw a striking 54.5% reduction in anti-social behaviour compared to October, dropping from 11 to 5 incidents—a shift that may reflect seasonal changes or increased community engagement during the lead-up to Christmas. Meanwhile, three categories experienced 100% increases: burglary, other crime, and vehicle crime, each rising from 0 or 1 to 1 or 2. These jumps, though modest in absolute terms, suggest potential emerging trends, particularly in burglary, which could be linked to heightened vigilance during the holiday season or temporary lapses in security. Violence and sexual offences remained the most prevalent category, at 1.6 per 1,000 (57.7% of all crimes), yet this rate is 38% below the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000. This gap may be attributed to Wootton’s compact built-up area, where informal social controls and limited nightlife reduce opportunities for such crimes. Anti-social behaviour, while down, still accounts for nearly 20% of all reported crimes—a figure 55% below the UK average of 1.1 per 1,000. Residents may find the daily crime rate of approximately 1 incident per day useful for context, though this remains significantly lower than the UK’s average of roughly 2.4 incidents daily. The absence of significant spikes in property crime—despite the 100% increases in burglary and vehicle crime—suggests that these categories remain outliers rather than indicators of broader trends.

November’s crime rate of 2.8 per 1,000 represents a 13.2% decrease from October’s 3.2, reflecting a continuing downward trend in the area. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 364 residents—a figure that, while not insignificant, is far below the UK’s monthly exposure rate, which is typically several times higher. This daily crime context of approximately 1 incident per day underscores the low-frequency nature of criminal activity in Wootton, a contrast to the UK average of roughly 2.4 incidents daily. The population-scaled perspective reveals that residents face a 1-in-364 chance of experiencing a reported crime over a month, a statistic that highlights the area’s relative safety compared to both national and regional benchmarks. This figure is particularly notable given the small population of 9,465, where even minor fluctuations in crime numbers can have outsized impacts on perceived safety. The comparison to October also suggests that local factors—such as the timing of Bonfire Night or the early start of Black Friday shopping—may have influenced crime patterns, though these remain speculative without further data. The sustained low rate, combined with the absence of major property crime spikes, reinforces the idea that Wootton’s built-up area operates within a distinct crime profile, one that diverges from the typical urban patterns seen elsewhere in the UK.