Thundersley and South Benfleet Crime Rate June 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Thundersley and South Benfleet recorded a crime rate of 3.8 per 1,000 residents in June 2024, placing it 53.7% below the UK average of 8.2 per 1,000. This marked a continuation of the area’s long-term trend of lower-than-average crime levels, though the composition of incidents revealed distinct patterns. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime picture, accounting for 48.7% of all reported incidents, significantly higher than the UK average of 2.8 per 1,000. This suggests that interpersonal conflicts remain a key driver of crime in the area, possibly influenced by the social dynamics of a built-up district within Castle Point. Anti-social behaviour and public order offences also featured prominently, with both categories well below national averages, reflecting the area’s character as a relatively quiet residential community. The seasonal context of June—the start of summer and the longest days—may have contributed to increased social interactions, which could partly explain the elevated rate of violent crimes compared to other months. However, the area’s overall crime profile remains safer than the UK average, with property-related crimes forming a smaller proportion of incidents than in most regions. This contrast is particularly evident in categories like shoplifting and burglary, which are 52% and 67% below UK averages respectively. These figures align with the area’s characteristics as a low-density built-up area where commercial and residential zones may not overlap as intensely as in more urban settings, reducing opportunities for certain types of crime. The data also highlights the influence of local geography: while coastal areas often see spikes in theft from the person during peak tourist seasons, Thundersley and South Benfleet reported no such incidents in June, a statistic consistent with its inland location and less pronounced tourism activity.

The most dramatic month-on-month shift in June 2024 was the 100% increase in possession of weapons, rising from zero to six incidents. This category, which is 43% above the UK average of 0.1 per 1,000, represents a stark contrast to other categories that saw significant declines. Vehicle crime, for instance, dropped by 71.4% to 10 incidents, a reduction that may partly reflect the start of summer and changes in commuting patterns. The breakdown of crime types also reveals a marked shift in the balance between property and violent crime: while violent crimes (violence and sexual offences) accounted for 48.7% of all incidents, property-related crimes formed only 27.6% of the total. This contrast with the UK average, where violent crimes constitute 31% of all incidents, suggests a localised emphasis on interpersonal conflicts. Anti-social behaviour remained 79% below the UK average, a statistic that may reflect the area’s relatively quiet residential character compared to more densely populated urban centres.

The crime rate in Thundersley and South Benfleet fell by 12.0% from 4.4 to 3.8 per 1,000 residents in June 2024, marking the first decline since early 2024. On a daily basis, the area recorded roughly six crimes per day, a figure that reflects local patterns rather than national averages. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 261 residents, a statistic that contextualises the monthly exposure for residents. When viewed against the population of 48,269, this suggests that the majority of residents experience low direct exposure to crime. The decline aligns with broader trends in the area, where property crimes have historically been less prevalent than violent offences. However, the drop in vehicle crime by 71.4% to 10 incidents is particularly striking, potentially linked to seasonal shifts as summer begins and traffic patterns change. This contrast with the 100% increase in possession of weapons highlights the complexity of local crime dynamics, where some categories respond sharply to environmental or social factors while others remain stable.