Cambridge Crime Rate October 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Cambridge's crime rate in October 2023 stood at 9.2 per 1,000 residents, placing the city 15% above the UK average of 8.0. This marks the highest recorded rate in the area since early 2023, though it remains lower than the peak of 10.2 per 1,000 in September. The most common crimes were violence and sexual offences (29.2% of total), shoplifting (12.3%), and anti-social behaviour (11.7%). These patterns align with Cambridge's character as a university city with a high student population, where retail spaces and academic institutions create environments conducive to both property crimes and public order issues. Seasonal factors may also play a role: with clocks going back and darker evenings setting in, Halloween activities could have contributed to increased anti-social behaviour. The relatively low rate of vehicle crime (0.3 per 1,000) contrasts with the UK average, reflecting the city's limited commuter parking and strong public transport infrastructure. Bicycle theft, however, remains high at 700% above the UK average, likely driven by the dense student population and the prevalence of cycling in the area. These figures illustrate a combination of local demographics, infrastructure, and seasonal rhythms that shape Cambridge's crime profile.

October 2023 saw a dramatic 36.8% decrease in shoplifting, with reported incidents falling from 266 to 168. This decline may reflect the impact of seasonal changes, as Halloween-related activities typically peak in late October. Conversely, theft from the person rose by 25.9% (27 to 34), suggesting a possible increase in opportunistic crimes in crowded areas such as the city centre. Violence and sexual offences also increased by 6.1% (377 to 400), though this remained aligned with the UK average for this category. Cambridge's shoplifting rate was 90% above the UK average (1.1 vs 0.6 per 1,000), highlighting the city's unique challenges in retail crime prevention. Vehicle crime, meanwhile, fell by 37.0% (81 to 51), potentially due to improved security measures in car parks and reduced commuter traffic during the autumn term. The city's bicycle theft rate, at 700% above the UK average (0.8 vs 0.1 per 1,000), remains a persistent issue, with the high student population and reliance on cycling likely contributing to this discrepancy. These fluctuations demonstrate how local conditions can amplify or mitigate national crime trends in specific contexts.

Cambridge's crime rate in October 2023 fell by 10.4% compared to September's 10.2 per 1,000, reflecting a notable improvement in overall safety. On a daily basis, the city recorded an average of 44 crimes per day, which residents may find useful for contextualising local crime patterns. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 109 residents, a figure that provides a clear sense of the monthly exposure rate for Cambridge's population of 149,352. This rate is lower than the UK average of 8.0 per 1,000, despite Cambridge's higher-than-average shoplifting and bicycle theft rates. The city's anti-social behaviour rate (1.1 per 1,000) was 14% below the UK average, possibly reflecting the effectiveness of local community policing initiatives in managing public order. Meanwhile, vehicle crime in Cambridge was 42% below the UK average (0.3 vs 0.5 per 1,000), suggesting that the city's transport infrastructure and parking arrangements may contribute to lower vehicle-related incidents. These comparative metrics highlight how Cambridge's unique characteristics—its academic environment, transport systems, and community engagement strategies—can shape its crime profile in ways distinct from the national average.