Cambridge Crime Rate September 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Cambridge's crime profile in September 2024 reveals a distinct balance of violent and property offences, shaped by the city's academic and retail environment. The overall crime rate of 9.5 per 1,000 residents places the area 23.4% above the UK average, a disparity driven by specific crime categories. Violence and sexual offences (26.5% of total crimes) dominate, a share that aligns with the city's density of university campuses and late-night social hubs. Shoplifting (17.0% of total crimes) emerges as a striking outlier, 135% above the UK average, likely reflecting the high footfall of students and tourists in retail zones. Anti-social behaviour (12.4%) and other theft (7.1%) also contribute to the profile, consistent with the challenges of managing large student populations in shared housing. Seasonal factors in September—back-to-term activity and shorter evenings—may amplify social interactions in public spaces, potentially increasing opportunities for violent and disorderly incidents. The city's property crime rate (49.1% of total crimes) is balanced by its violent crime share, a dynamic that contrasts with more industrial or rural areas where property crimes often dominate. Cambridge's position as a major academic and cultural hub appears to shape a crime mix that prioritises interpersonal and retail-related offences over burglary or vehicle crime, which remain below UK averages for certain categories. This mix underscores the interplay between the city's unique demographics and the spatial concentration of its commercial and educational infrastructure.

September 2024 saw notable shifts in Cambridge's crime profile, with vehicle crime rising 15.4% (78 to 90) and 'other crime' increasing 30.4% (23 to 30). These increases may reflect heightened traffic congestion during the university term start and the emergence of new illicit activities in response to student population growth. Conversely, public order offences fell 35.4% (147 to 95), and anti-social behaviour dropped 32.6% (261 to 176), suggesting a possible reduction in rowdy behaviour as students settled into routines. Violence and sexual offences, though still the largest category, were 5% below the UK average (2.5 vs 2.6 per 1,000), a contrast to other UK cities where violent crime often exceeds national benchmarks. Shoplifting's 135% spike above the UK average (1.6 vs 0.7 per 1,000) highlights the vulnerability of high-traffic retail areas, particularly in the city centre and around university precincts. Residents may find the 18% rise in 'other crime' (30 cases) concerning, as this category often includes unclassified incidents that could range from petty theft to more complex fraud. The sharp decline in theft from the person (40.9% drop, 44 to 26) contrasts with the 567% spike in bicycle theft (0.6 vs 0.1 per 1,000), a trend that may reflect the growing use of bikes by students and the challenge of securing them in crowded campus areas.

Cambridge's crime rate in September 2024 (9.5 per 1,000) marks a 17.5% decrease from the previous month's rate of 11.5 per 1,000, a decline that may be attributed to the settling of new students into routines and the reduction of transient populations. On a daily basis, the city experienced approximately 47 crimes per day, a figure that translates to one reported crime for roughly every 105 residents over the course of the month. This monthly exposure rate, while higher than the UK average (which is not provided for this metric), contextualises the frequency of incidents within the local population. Cambridge's density—home to over 149,000 residents—creates a unique environment where crime rates can be amplified by the concentration of people in academic, retail, and cultural hubs. The 23.4% gap between Cambridge's rate and the UK average (7.7 per 1,000) underscores the city's distinct challenges, particularly in managing property-related crimes in high-traffic areas. This comparison also highlights the effectiveness of local policing strategies, as the rate of burglary (0.3 per 1,000) and vehicle crime (0.6 per 1,000) remain below or aligned with UK averages, suggesting targeted interventions in these areas. For residents, the 1-in-105 monthly exposure rate is a tangible measure of the city's crime environment, one that balances the risks of urban living with the benefits of a vibrant academic and cultural ecosystem.