Braintree Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Braintree's overall crime rate in January 2024 stood at 5.5 per 1,000 residents, placing it 25.7% below the UK average of 7.4. This marked disparity underscores the area's relatively safer profile compared to national trends. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 40.7% of all reported crimes, making them the most prevalent category, followed by vehicle crime (8.6%) and other theft (7.5%). The seasonal context of January—a post-holiday period marked by shorter days and reduced retail footfall—likely influenced these patterns, with shoplifting incidents declining by 37.1% compared to December 2023. This drop aligns with typical seasonal trends where reduced consumer activity and colder weather curtail opportunistic theft in high-traffic areas. However, the prominence of violence and sexual offences suggests ongoing challenges in maintaining public safety, particularly in urban centres where such crimes are more concentrated. The data also highlights Braintree's unique position: while anti-social behaviour is 60% below the UK average, indicating strong community cohesion, burglary rates are 11% above the national figure, pointing to specific vulnerabilities in residential areas. These findings suggest a combination of Braintree's geographic character—likely a mix of rural expanses and urban hubs—and its crime profile, where some categories are mitigated by local factors while others persist due to broader socioeconomic dynamics.

January 2024 saw sharp increases in bicycle theft (+225%) and robbery (+100%) compared to December 2023, with the former rising from 4 to 13 incidents. This surge may be linked to seasonal factors such as increased cycling during the post-holiday period or changes in theft patterns as outdoor activities resume. Conversely, shoplifting dropped by 37.1% (from 97 to 61), potentially reflecting reduced retail footfall during January's shorter days and post-Christmas lull. Braintree's performance against UK averages reveals striking contrasts: anti-social behaviour is 60% below the national rate, while burglary is 11% above. These discrepancies likely reflect Braintree's character as a predominantly rural area with urban hubs, where community cohesion may mitigate certain crimes but property-focused vulnerabilities persist. For residents, the 225% rise in bicycle theft underscores a need for heightened vigilance in securing personal property during colder months.

Braintree's crime rate in January 2024 remained stable at 5.5 per 1,000 residents, matching the previous month's figure with a 0.4% change. This consistency suggests no significant shift in overall criminal activity. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 29 crimes per day, a figure that contextualizes the volume of incidents within Braintree's population of 164,304. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 182 residents, illustrating the frequency of incidents relative to the local population. When compared to the UK average, Braintree's performance stands out in several categories: violence and sexual offences are 15% below the national average, while anti-social behaviour is 60% lower. However, burglary rates are 11% above the UK figure, indicating a specific vulnerability in residential areas. These contrasts highlight how Braintree's unique demographic and geographic profile—likely a mix of urban centres and rural expanses—shapes its crime profile differently from national trends.