Cambridge Crime Rate December 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominated Cambridge’s crime profile in December 2024, accounting for 27.8% of all reported incidents. With a crime rate of 7.0 per 1,000 residents, the city remained 1.4% below the UK average of 7.1, a narrow but consistent deviation that reflects its unique demographic and geographic characteristics. As a university city with a transient population and a vibrant retail sector, Cambridge’s crime picture is shaped by seasonal rhythms, such as the December peak in Christmas shopping and the associated increase in foot traffic. The high proportion of violence and sexual offences—2.0 per 1,000—may be partly explained by the city’s nightlife and the presence of students, though this rate is 22% below the UK average, suggesting effective policing or community engagement in this area. Shoplifting, at 1.0 per 1,000, stood out as a category significantly above the UK average, likely driven by the concentration of high-street retail in the city centre. Anti-social behaviour also featured prominently, with 1.0 per 1,000 incidents, a figure 6% above the UK average, potentially linked to the density of student accommodation and the challenges of managing transient populations. These patterns align with the seasonal context of December, where extended evenings, festive events, and the temporary absence of residents during holiday periods may contribute to higher rates of certain crimes. The data also highlights the need for targeted strategies to address shoplifting and anti-social behaviour, which remain persistent issues even as overall crime rates remain relatively low compared to the UK average.

December 2024 saw notable shifts in crime patterns, with increases in other crime (+65%), theft from the person (+41.7%), and possession of weapons (+41.7%), suggesting evolving criminal activity. Conversely, bicycle theft dropped by 16.7%, potentially linked to seasonal factors such as holiday closures or reduced outdoor activity. Shoplifting, at 1.0 per 1,000 residents, remained 75% above the UK average, a figure that may reflect the city’s high retail density and holiday shopping pressures. Violence and sexual offences, though the most frequent category, were 22% below the UK average, a deviation that could indicate effective local policing or demographic factors such as a younger, more transient population. These changes underscore the importance of targeted interventions in specific areas, such as retail zones or student housing, where crime rates diverge significantly from national benchmarks.

Cambridge’s crime rate in December 2024 rose 5.0% from 6.7 to 7.0 per 1,000 residents, reflecting a slight upward trend. While this remains 1.4% below the UK average, the monthly exposure figure illustrates that one crime occurred for roughly every 143 residents over the course of the month. Daily crime counts averaged 42 incidents per day, a figure that contextualises the pace of reported crime in a built-up area with a population of 187,642. This rate, though modest compared to the UK average, highlights the need for ongoing community vigilance. The population-scaled perspective shows that Cambridge’s crime profile, while generally lower than the UK average, requires attention to specific categories such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour, which consistently deviate from national trends. These figures offer residents a concrete measure of local risk, enabling targeted awareness and engagement with local policing strategies.