Cambridge Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Cambridge's crime rate in January 2024 stood at 8.8 per 1,000 residents, placing it 18.9% above the UK average of 7.4. This disparity is most starkly evident in bicycle theft, which occurred at a rate of 0.8 per 1,000 residents—1,233% higher than the UK average. The city's academic environment, with its large student population, likely contributes to this anomaly, as bicycles are a common mode of transport on university campuses. Violence and sexual offences (26.9% of total crimes) remained the most prevalent category, though their rate (2.4 per 1,000) was 8% below the UK average. Shoplifting (12.9% of total crimes) and other theft (9.6%) also exceeded national norms, reflecting the retail activity concentrated in the city centre and surrounding high streets. Seasonal factors may have played a role: January, a post-holiday month with shorter days and reduced footfall, saw fewer outdoor crimes but higher rates of theft in indoor retail spaces. The balance between property and violent crime shifted slightly compared to previous months, with property crimes accounting for 49.4% of all incidents—slightly higher than the UK average of 46.5%. This pattern aligns with Cambridge's character as a university city, where retail hubs and academic institutions intersect to create unique crime dynamics.

January 2024 saw a 109.3% increase in bicycle theft, with incidents rising from 54 to 113. This surge, coupled with a 35.5% rise in other theft, highlights vulnerabilities in securing personal property in a city with high bicycle usage. Conversely, theft from the person plummeted by 73.0%, falling from 37 to 10 cases—a drop consistent with reduced retail footfall during the post-holiday period. Shoplifting, at 1.1 per 1,000 residents, remained 93% above the UK average, underscoring the impact of Cambridge's dense retail network on local crime patterns. Violent crime, though still the largest category, was 8% below the UK average, possibly reflecting the city's relatively low population density compared to major urban centres. The sharp decline in robbery (40.9%) and possession of weapons (18.8%) suggests improved policing or seasonal factors dampening criminal activity. For residents, the 1233% disparity in bicycle theft rates compared to the UK average offers a clear area for targeted prevention measures, such as increased CCTV coverage in campus zones or bike storage initiatives.

Cambridge's crime rate in January 2024 (8.8 per 1,000) was marginally lower than the previous month's rate of 8.9, indicating a stable trend over the short term. On a daily basis, the city experienced an average of 43 crimes per day—equivalent to one crime occurring roughly every 113 residents over the course of the month. This monthly exposure rate, while higher than the UK average, remains within a range typical for a university city with a mix of residential and commercial areas. The population-scaled perspective reveals that Cambridge's crime profile, though elevated in certain categories, is not uniformly worse than the UK average. For example, vehicle crime (0.4 per 1,000) was 20% below the national rate, likely reflecting the city's limited car ownership among students and its well-regulated parking systems. The contrast between Cambridge's elevated bicycle theft rates and its below-average vehicle crime illustrates the unique challenges of a city where cycling is both a necessity and a vulnerability. These comparisons underscore the need for tailored crime prevention strategies that account for the city's specific demographics and infrastructure, rather than applying broad UK-wide measures.