Castle Point Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Castle Point’s crime profile in January 2024 reveals a marked contrast to the UK average, with an overall rate of 5.3 crimes per 1,000 residents—28.4% below the national figure of 7.4. This discrepancy is most pronounced in the category of violence and sexual offences, which stood at 2.2 per 1,000, 15% below the UK average. Such a significant gap may be influenced by the area’s relatively low population density and the absence of high-traffic urban centres that typically correlate with higher rates of violent crime. The top three crime types—violence and sexual offences (41.9%), criminal damage and arson (11.7%), and vehicle crime (9.6%)—reflect a mix of personal and property-related incidents, though the dominance of violent crime suggests a different dynamic than in more densely populated regions. Seasonal context further shapes these figures: January, as a post-holiday month, saw reduced retail footfall and shorter daylight hours, factors that may contribute to lower rates of shoplifting and theft from the person. However, the persistence of criminal damage and arson at 0.6 per 1,000—matching the UK average—indicates that certain types of crime remain unaffected by seasonal fluctuations. The area’s crime profile thus appears to be shaped by a combination of geographic characteristics, local community structures, and the timing of annual events, all of which influence the types and frequency of offences reported.

January 2024 saw notable shifts in crime patterns, with 'other crime' increasing by 100% compared to December, reflecting a significant rise from 11 to 22 incidents. This category, which includes non-specific offences, may partly explain the overall rate increase. Concurrently, bicycle theft doubled, moving from zero to one reported incident, a stark outlier in an area where such crimes are typically rare. Meanwhile, drug-related offences fell by 60%, dropping from 20 to 8 cases, a decline that could be linked to seasonal factors such as reduced social activity during the post-holiday period. The balance between property and violent crime also shifted slightly, with violent crimes accounting for 41.9% of the total, compared to 38.3% for property crimes. This distribution, though marginal, underscores the ongoing prominence of violent offences in the area. Anti-social behaviour remained 70% below the UK average, a consistent trend that may reflect local community engagement efforts or demographic factors.

Castle Point's crime rate in January 2024 rose by 8.4% compared to December 2023, moving from 4.9 to 5.3 per 1,000 residents. This increase, though modest, suggests a slight upward trend in reported crimes during the month. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately 15 crimes per day in January, a figure that translates to one reported crime for every 190 residents over the course of the month. This monthly exposure metric provides context for local residents, illustrating the frequency of incidents in relation to the population. The area’s population of 90,581 means that the 477 total crimes reported are distributed across a relatively large community, though the rate remains significantly below the UK average. This lower rate, combined with the daily crime count, suggests that while crime is present, its impact on individual residents is proportionally less than in other parts of the country.