Bingley Crime Rate December 2024 | Monthly Statistics

In December 2024, Bingley’s crime rate of 5.3 per 1,000 residents positioned it 25.4% below the UK average of 7.1, a disparity that reflects both the area’s demographic profile and seasonal factors. The most prevalent category of crime was violence and sexual offences, accounting for 44.6% of all incidents (54 cases), followed by other theft (16 cases, 13.2%) and burglary (10 cases, 8.3%). This imbalance between violent and property crimes—despite the overall lower rate—raises questions about the interplay of local characteristics and external pressures. As a built-up area within Bradford, Bingley’s proximity to larger urban centres may contribute to higher exposure to certain crime types, though its smaller scale and community cohesion appear to buffer against more severe trends observed nationally. Seasonal context also plays a role: the Christmas shopping peak likely intensified retail-related thefts, while dark evenings and holiday absences from homes may have influenced burglary patterns. Yet, the UK average for violence and sexual offences (2.6 per 1,000) was 6% lower than Bingley’s rate, indicating that violent crime in the area is not concentrated. This contrast with other categories—such as anti-social behaviour (57% below UK average) and vehicle crime (50% below)—suggests a unique local dynamic where community policing or social structures may mitigate certain types of crime while leaving others more vulnerable. The data also reveals a paradox: while violent crime rates are lower than the UK average, property crime types like other theft are significantly higher, pointing to a need for targeted interventions in retail and commercial areas. As the year closes, these trends offer insights into the challenges and strengths of Bingley’s crime profile, shaped by both its geographical position and the rhythms of the festive season.

December 2024 saw a dramatic surge in other theft, rising 128.6% from 7 to 16 incidents—a figure that now exceeds the UK average by 30%. This spike, alongside a 100% increase in shoplifting (from 4 to 8), suggests heightened retail activity during the Christmas shopping peak. Conversely, drug-related crimes fell sharply by 85.7%, from 7 to 1, potentially reflecting reduced public consumption during the holiday season. Violent crimes, though remaining the most frequent category (54 incidents, or 44.6% of total), were 6% below the UK average for violence and sexual offences. This contrast with the UK’s higher violent crime rate may indicate Bingley’s smaller, more closely-knit community dynamics, where incidents are less concentrated. Theft from the person—a typically high-risk category in urban areas—rose by 100% to one incident, though this remains 100% below the UK average. These shifts highlight a combination of seasonal demand for retail goods and the area’s relative safety in other domains.

Bingley’s December 2024 crime rate of 5.3 per 1,000 residents remained stable compared to the previous month’s 5.4 per 1,000, reflecting a -0.7% change. This consistency suggests no major shifts in crime trends over the final month of the year. Daily crime activity averaged four incidents per day, a figure that, while low, aligns with the area’s smaller built-up character within Bradford. Over the course of December, one crime was reported for every 188 residents, a monthly exposure rate that underscores the relatively low frequency of incidents in this community. When contextualised against Bingley’s population of 22,761, this figure highlights the area’s lower crime profile compared to broader UK averages. The stability in the overall rate, despite seasonal factors like Christmas shopping and dark evenings, may indicate effective local policing or community measures that have mitigated typical holiday-related spikes in property crime. However, the absence of a significant increase in violent crime during this period contrasts with patterns observed in larger urban centres, where festive season often correlates with higher incidents of alcohol-fuelled violence.