Witham Crime Rate July 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Witham’s crime rate in July 2024 stood at 7.1 per 1,000 residents, placing it 15.5% below the UK average of 8.4. This figure reflects a mixed picture of criminal activity, with violence and sexual offences accounting for 42.4% of all incidents, followed by other theft (13.0%) and shoplifting (11.9%). The seasonal context of July—peak summer, school holidays, and tourism—likely influenced these patterns. Violence and sexual offences, while lower than the UK average, remained elevated at 3.0 per 1,000, potentially linked to increased social activity in the area. Conversely, property crimes such as burglary and vehicle crime were significantly below national levels, with burglary at 0.1 per 1,000 (68% below the UK average) and vehicle crime at 0.4 per 1,000 (13% below). The data also shows a marked dip in anti-social behaviour and public order offences, which were 72% and 38% below UK averages respectively. These discrepancies suggest Witham’s unique characteristics, such as its smaller population and possibly lower levels of nightlife activity, may contribute to its distinct crime profile. However, the sharp rise in shoplifting and other thefts raises questions about how summer tourism and retail operations interact with local crime dynamics.

July 2024 saw sharp increases in certain crime types, including a 133.3% rise in shoplifting and a 130% surge in other thefts. These jumps, from 9 to 21 and 10 to 23 respectively, indicate a shift in criminal activity patterns, possibly linked to summer tourism and retail activity. Meanwhile, violence and sexual offences decreased by 18.5% compared to June, though they remained 5% above the UK average at 3.0 per 1,000. Vehicle crime also fell by 52.6%, potentially reflecting reduced traffic during school holidays. Other notable trends include a 200% increase in 'other crime' and a 66.7% drop in possession of weapons. These fluctuations highlight the dynamic nature of local crime, with some categories aligning closely with national trends while others diverge significantly.

Witham's crime rate in July 2024 remained stable compared to June, falling by 1.1% to 7.1 per 1,000 residents from 7.2. This suggests a broadly consistent level of crime in the area over the past month, though the slight decline may reflect seasonal factors. Locally, 177 crimes were reported in July, averaging roughly 6 crimes per day. This equates to one reported crime occurring for every 140 residents over the course of the month. While this figure is a monthly aggregate, it provides context for residents about the frequency of incidents in their community. Witham’s population of 24,838 means that the crime rate is distributed across a relatively small area, potentially making individual incidents more noticeable. The daily crime count, while low in absolute terms, underscores the need for ongoing community vigilance and police engagement, particularly during peak summer activity periods.