Dereham Crime Rate February 2026 | Monthly Statistics

February 2026 marked a notable shift in Dereham's crime profile, with bicycle theft and robbery surging unexpectedly despite the winter season. The area recorded 108 crimes, yielding a crime rate of 5.2 per 1,000 residents—18.8% below the UK average of 6.4 per 1,000. This disparity underscores local factors that may mitigate crime. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for 44.4% of all incidents, a figure slightly below the UK average for this category. Shoplifting, however, stood out as a persistent concern, with a rate of 0.9 per 1,000—55% above the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000. This anomaly may reflect the influence of Dereham's built-up retail areas, where high foot traffic and seasonal shopping patterns could exacerbate opportunities for theft. Anti-social behaviour (0.7 per 1,000) and drugs (0.3 per 1,000) also featured prominently, though the latter was 30% above the UK average, hinting at localized issues that require further exploration. The seasonal context of February—a low-activity month with reduced outdoor engagement—may have contributed to the overall lower crime rate compared to the previous month, though the unexpected rise in bicycle theft challenges this assumption. These patterns suggest a combination of environmental factors, community dynamics, and enforcement priorities, all of which warrant ongoing monitoring.

February 2026 saw a stark anomaly in crime trends: bicycle theft and robbery both doubled from zero to one and two incidents, respectively. This 100% increase defies expectations for a winter month, though it may reflect seasonal shifts in outdoor activity or unseasonal weather patterns. Meanwhile, shoplifting remained a persistent issue, with a rate of 0.9 per 1,000—55% above the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000. This discrepancy could indicate local factors such as retail footfall or enforcement gaps in high-street areas. Conversely, vehicle crime fell sharply by 66.7% (from three to one incident), a drop that may correlate with reduced outdoor activity during colder months. The overall crime mix also shifted: violent crimes (48 incidents) now account for 44.4% of total crimes, slightly below the UK average for this category, while property crimes (28 incidents) comprised 25.9% of the total. This imbalance suggests a local trend towards interpersonal offences, linked to social dynamics in the built-up area.

Dereham's crime rate in February 2026 fell by 19.5% compared to January 2026, dropping from 6.4 to 5.2 crimes per 1,000 residents. This decline aligns with the seasonal context of February, a low-activity winter month. On a daily basis, the area recorded roughly four crimes per day, a figure that, while modest, reflects the persistent presence of crime in a built-up rural setting. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 194 residents, a statistic that contextualises the monthly exposure without overstating risk. When compared to the UK average of 6.4 per 1,000, Dereham's rate remains 18.8% below, a consistent trend that suggests local factors—such as community cohesion or policing strategies—may contribute to this gap. However, the population of 20,916 means that even small absolute changes can translate to meaningful percentages, requiring careful interpretation of both scale and context.