Breckland Crime Rate December 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Breckland’s December 2023 crime rate of 4.4 per 1,000 residents places it 38.9% below the UK average of 7.2 per 1,000, highlighting a safer profile compared to the national picture. This rural district, characterised by open landscapes and smaller communities, consistently reports lower crime rates than urban counterparts. The most prevalent crime type was violence and sexual offences, accounting for 41.9% of all reported incidents, followed by anti-social behaviour (12.9%) and criminal damage and arson (10.0%). These figures contrast with the UK averages for these categories, where violence and sexual offences are 27% higher and anti-social behaviour is 35% higher. Seasonal factors may partly explain the distribution of crimes in December, as the holiday period brings increased social activity, darker evenings, and the movement of people associated with Christmas shopping and festive gatherings. While violence remains the dominant category, the relatively low rates of property crime—such as shoplifting (59% below the UK average) and vehicle crime (56% below)—suggest a community with lower exposure to urban-centric crime trends. The absence of significant spikes in theft from the person or burglary during this month further reinforces Breckland’s distinct crime profile, one shaped by its geographical and demographic characteristics.

December 2023 saw a stark 183.3% increase in burglary cases, rising from 18 to 51, marking a notable shift in the crime mix. This surge, while still below the UK average for burglary (14% above), raises questions about potential vulnerabilities during the festive season, such as homes being left unoccupied or increased foot traffic in rural areas. Conversely, theft from the person fell by 66.7% (from 6 to 2), possibly reflecting reduced public gatherings or heightened awareness during the holiday period. Other significant declines included drugs-related crimes (-48.1%) and possession of weapons (-28.6%), which may align with seasonal patterns of reduced illicit activity during the Christmas period. Violence and sexual offences, though remaining the most frequent category, were 27% below the UK average, suggesting that local factors—such as community cohesion or policing strategies—may contribute to this disparity. The sharp rise in burglary, however, contrasts with the overall trend of lower crime rates, indicating a need for targeted measures to address this specific increase without compromising the broader safety improvements observed in Breckland.

Breckland’s crime rate in December 2023 (4.4 per 1,000) marked a 7.5% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.8 per 1,000, reflecting a continuing downward trend. Over the course of December, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 226 residents, a figure that underscores the relatively low frequency of incidents in this rural area. On a daily basis, Breckland experienced approximately 21 crimes per day, a localised measure that does not directly compare to UK-wide daily averages but provides context for residents. When scaled to the population of 146,620, the monthly exposure to crime remains lower than the UK average, which is 7.2 per 1,000. This contrast is particularly evident in categories such as anti-social behaviour (35% below UK average) and shoplifting (59% below UK average), where Breckland’s performance highlights the impact of community dynamics and lower population density. While the area’s overall safety is reinforced by these figures, the increase in burglary—a category where Breckland is 14% above the UK average—suggests that certain localised risks, such as vacant homes during holidays, may require further attention. This nuanced picture illustrates how Breckland’s crime profile, shaped by its rural character, diverges from the UK average in both positive and specific ways.