Chorley Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Chorley's anti-social behaviour offences in January 2024 stood at 72% above the UK average, marking a striking outlier in the local crime profile. This category, which includes disturbances and noise complaints, accounted for 26.3% of all recorded crimes—nearly double the share of the next most common category, violence and sexual offences. The overall crime rate for the month was 6.6 per 1,000 residents, 10.8% below the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000. Violence and sexual offences remained the most prevalent category, contributing 37.8% of total crimes, though their rate (2.5 per 1,000) was 4% below the UK average. The seasonal context of January—a post-holiday period with reduced retail footfall and shorter days—likely contributed to lower property crime rates, which accounted for 27.7% of total offences compared to 44.6% nationally. This aligns with patterns seen in other post-industrial towns where seasonal fluctuations in retail activity correlate with shifts in crime types. Shoplifting and vehicle crime were both 40-47% below the UK average, consistent with Chorley's character as a commuter town with fewer high-density retail areas.

January 2024 saw an 118.2% increase in 'other crime' offences, rising from 11 to 24 incidents. This category, which includes environmental crimes and other non-specific offences, surged despite a 35.4% decline in other thefts (from 65 to 42). Anti-social behaviour remained the most significant deviation from UK averages, with a rate of 1.7 per 1,000—72% higher than the national average of 1.0 per 1,000. Meanwhile, possession of weapons fell by 50% (from 6 to 3), though this category's rate (0.0 per 1,000) was still 100% below the UK average. The crime mix shifted slightly toward violent offences, which accounted for 37.8% of total crimes compared to 30.2% in December 2023. Residents may find the 47% reduction in shoplifting particularly notable, with only 33 incidents reported—well below the UK average of 60 per 1,000. This aligns with Chorley's relatively low retail density compared to larger urban centres.

Chorley's crime rate in January 2024 (6.6 per 1,000) marked an 11.8% decrease from December 2023's rate of 7.5 per 1,000. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 26 crimes per day—slightly lower than the 28 crimes per day recorded in the previous month. Over the course of January, one reported crime occurred for every 151 residents, a figure that contextualises the monthly exposure in terms of population density. This rate is 10.8% below the UK average, reflecting Chorley's position as a lower-risk area compared to the national profile. The 7.5 per 1,000 rate in December 2023 was already 1.8% below the UK average, suggesting a consistent trend of below-average crime levels. The daily crime count, while stable, shows the impact of January's seasonal factors—shorter daylight hours and post-holiday lulls in retail activity—which may have suppressed certain crime types. The population-scaled perspective reveals that Chorley's residents face a 0.66% chance of experiencing a crime in any given month, compared to the UK average of 0.74%. This difference, though small, underscores the area's distinct crime dynamics relative to the national picture.