Dereham Crime Rate July 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominate Dereham's crime profile in July 2023, accounting for 43.4% of all reported crimes. At 6.8 per 1,000 residents, the area's crime rate is 18.1% below the UK average of 8.3 per 1,000, reflecting a consistently lower level of criminal activity compared to national benchmarks. This is particularly notable given the area's status as a built-up region within Breckland, where urban centres typically experience higher crime rates. The dominance of violent crime may be linked to the area's seasonal dynamics: July coincides with the peak of summer, when schools are closed, tourism increases, and outdoor festivals and events attract larger crowds to public spaces. These factors likely contribute to heightened social interactions and, by extension, a higher incidence of violent incidents compared to other crime categories. Anti-social behaviour, the second most reported category, accounts for 14.7% of crimes, a figure 30% below the UK average. This may reflect community policing efforts or the area's relatively lower population density compared to major urban centres. While property crimes make up 27.3% of the total, they remain well below the UK average for categories such as vehicle crime and burglary, which are 79% and 70% lower respectively. The data suggests a crime profile shaped by both local characteristics and seasonal rhythms, with violence and sexual offences emerging as the defining category in this month's statistics.

July 2023 saw significant fluctuations in specific crime categories, with theft from the person doubling from zero to two incidents—a 100% increase. This aligns with the summer season's pattern of increased foot traffic in public areas, which may have created more opportunities for such crimes. Bicycle theft also rose sharply, with one reported incident—a 100% increase from zero in June—potentially linked to the influx of tourists and festival attendees who may leave cycles unsecured. Conversely, other crime decreased by 66.7% (from three to one incident), and burglary dropped by 60% (from five to two), suggesting possible improvements in community vigilance or targeted policing efforts. The area's violent crime rate—3.0 per 1,000 residents—was 8% above the UK average for this category, despite the overall rate being below the national average. This discrepancy highlights the concentration of violent incidents in specific locations or times, tied to Dereham's summer events. Drug-related offences were 82% above the UK average, a figure that may reflect local challenges in addressing substance misuse despite the area's lower population density. These shifts illustrate the combination of seasonal factors and local crime patterns, with some categories rising while others fall sharply within the same month.

Dereham's crime rate in July 2023 (6.8 per 1,000 residents) represents a 6.4% decrease from the previous month's rate of 7.3 per 1,000, indicating a slight but measurable decline in overall criminal activity. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 5 crimes per day over the 31-day period, a figure that provides context for residents assessing their personal risk. When scaled to the population of 20,916, this translates to one reported crime for every 146 residents over the course of the month—a relatively low frequency compared to larger urban centres. This monthly exposure rate underscores Dereham's position as a lower-crime area within the UK, despite the higher-than-average rates in specific categories like violence and drug offences. The previous month's rate of 7.3 per 1,000 suggests a minor but consistent trend of decreasing crime, which may be influenced by seasonal factors such as the end of the summer tourist season or ongoing local initiatives. While the overall decline is modest, the population-scaled perspective reinforces the area's generally safer profile compared to the UK average, with the exception of a few categories where local conditions appear to drive higher-than-national rates.