Braintree Crime Rate December 2023 | Monthly Statistics

December 2023 saw Braintree record a crime rate of 5.5 per 1,000 residents, placing it 23.6% below the UK average of 7.2 per 1,000. This marks Braintree as one of the safer local authority districts in England, though the data reveals uneven patterns across crime types. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime picture, accounting for 41.6% of all reported crimes, with 374 incidents recorded. This category was 12% below the UK average, consistent with Braintree's generally lower violent crime profile compared to larger urban centres. Shoplifting, however, stood out as a significant anomaly, with 97 incidents reported—22% above the UK average for this category. This discrepancy may partly reflect Braintree's retail presence, though direct links to specific commercial areas. The seasonal context of December—characterised by extended dark evenings, Christmas shopping activity, and the temporary absence of some residents during the holiday period—likely contributed to fluctuations in crime patterns. While property crimes (363) and violent crimes (374) remained the most frequently reported categories, the relative absence of anti-social behaviour (63 incidents, 57% below UK average) and burglary (41 incidents, 14% below UK average) suggests a community with lower levels of persistent disorder compared to other areas. These findings paint a complex picture of a district where retail-focused crimes are represented relative to its size, but where broader public safety metrics align with the UK's safer regions.

December 2023 marked a stark contrast in crime trends, with robbery incidents surging by 100% compared to November—jumping from 3 to 6 cases. This sharp increase, while small in absolute terms, raises questions about potential seasonal factors or unmet security needs in high-traffic areas. Concurrently, theft from the person rose by 83.3%, with 11 incidents recorded, reflecting a 44% deficit compared to the UK average for this category. This divergence may signal a unique local pattern. Meanwhile, bicycle theft saw a 33.3% increase, moving from 3 to 4 incidents, though this remains well below the UK average. On the decline side, other crime dropped by 42.9% (21 to 12 incidents), and drug-related offences fell by 39% (41 to 25), suggesting possible seasonal reductions in illicit activity. Public order offences also decreased by 22.5%, from 71 to 55, though this category remains 38% below the UK average. The most notable UK comparison lies in shoplifting, which was 22% above the national average—highlighting a potential need for targeted retail security measures. These shifts illustrate a month where some categories bucked broader trends, offering insights into Braintree's distinct crime ecology.

Braintree's crime rate in December 2023 remained stable compared to November, rising by just 1.7% from 5.4 to 5.5 per 1,000 residents. This minimal change underscores the district's consistent performance relative to national benchmarks. On a daily basis, 29 crimes were reported each day in December—a figure that, while seemingly high, must be contextualised against Braintree's population of 164,304 residents. Over the course of the month, this translated to one reported crime for every 183 residents, a monthly exposure rate that is lower than many comparable areas. When viewed through a population-scaled lens, Braintree's crime profile appears relatively controlled, with violent crime rates (2.3 per 1,000) and property crime rates (3.6 per 1,000) both significantly below UK averages for their respective categories. The district's performance in anti-social behaviour (0.4 per 1,000) and burglary (0.3 per 1,000) further reinforces this trend, with both categories 57% and 14% below UK averages respectively. These figures suggest that Braintree's residents experience crime at a lower frequency than the national average, though the shoplifting anomaly remains a point of divergence. The stability in the overall rate, combined with the district's generally lower crime exposure, positions Braintree as a safer locale compared to many other parts of the UK, despite the notable spikes in certain categories.