Buckingham Crime Rate October 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Buckingham's October 2023 crime rate of 5.7 per 1,000 residents marked a notable divergence from national trends, being 28.7% below the UK average of 8.0. This contrast is most striking in the public order category, where the area recorded 0.7 incidents per 1,000 — 19% above the UK average of 0.6. This anomaly may reflect the built-up area's unique characteristics, including its historic core and the seasonal influx of visitors during the autumn months. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for 47.3% of all incidents, a proportion consistent with the UK average. Anti-social behaviour followed closely with 12.1%, but this category was 45% below the UK average, suggesting effective community policing or a lower prevalence of disruptive incidents in local neighbourhoods. The seasonal context of October — with clocks going back, darker evenings, and the approach of Halloween — may have contributed to the 19% above-average public order rate, though the overall crime profile remains significantly safer than the national benchmark. This pattern aligns with Buckingham's character as a largely rural commuter town with a small built-up area, where crime is concentrated in specific zones rather than being evenly distributed across the population. The relatively low rates of vehicle crime (42% below UK average) and burglary (71% below UK average) further support this interpretation, pointing to a landscape where property crimes are less common due to the area's lower density and higher levels of domestic security.

October 2023 saw a 42.9% increase in criminal damage and arson, the most significant month-on-month rise. This surge, from 7 to 10 incidents, may reflect seasonal factors such as Halloween activities or increased vandalism during darker evenings. Conversely, burglary rates plummeted by 80%, dropping from five to one incident — a decline that could be attributed to heightened security measures or reduced opportunities during the month. The violent crime category remained stable, with 43 incidents recorded, a rate (2.7 per 1,000) exactly matching the UK average. However, public order crimes stood out as the only category above the UK average, with 0.7 per 1,000 compared to the national figure of 0.6 per 1,000. This 19% discrepancy highlights a unique local dynamic, tied to the area's historic character and the transient nature of its visitor population during peak tourist months.

Buckingham's crime rate in October 2023 fell to 5.7 per 1,000 residents, a 20.2% drop from the previous month's 7.1 per 1,000. This decline positions the area as one of the safer built-up regions in the UK, with its rate 28.7% below the national average of 8.0. On a daily basis, the area recorded roughly three crimes per day, a figure that, while modest, reflects the concentrated nature of local incidents. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 177 residents — a monthly exposure rate that suggests relatively low individual risk compared to the UK average. This contrast is amplified by the area's small population of 16,080, where even modest crime totals translate into significant statistical differences. The drop from the previous month may be linked to seasonal factors, such as the end of the school term and reduced foot traffic in retail areas, though further data would be needed to confirm this hypothesis.