Whittle-le-Woods Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Whittle-le-Woods, a built-up area within Chorley, recorded a crime rate of 2.5 per 1,000 residents in January 2024—66.2% below the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000. This places the area firmly among the safest in the country, with crime levels consistently lower than national benchmarks. The most prevalent offences were violence and sexual offences (29.4% of total crimes), followed by anti-social behaviour (23.5%) and other theft (23.5%). These patterns align with the area’s rural character, where lower population density and limited commercial activity reduce opportunities for certain crimes. For instance, shoplifting and vehicle crime—categories often linked to urban retail hubs and commuter parking zones—remain well below UK averages, with shoplifting at 0.2 per 1,000 and vehicle crime at 0.2 per 1,000. Seasonal factors also appear to influence the crime profile: January, marked by post-holiday periods and shorter days, typically sees reduced retail footfall and fewer outdoor crimes. However, the area’s low crime rate suggests that local conditions, such as community cohesion and limited public spaces for anti-social behaviour, may act as natural deterrents. The combination of these factors illustrates a community where crime is not only infrequent but also low compared to national trends.

January 2024 saw a sharp increase in other theft, jumping from one to four incidents—a 300% rise—suggesting a sudden shift in criminal activity. This category, which includes burglary and vehicle-related theft, now accounts for 23.5% of all crimes, surpassing anti-social behaviour as the second most common offence. Meanwhile, violence and sexual offences dropped by 16.7% to five incidents, remaining 73% below the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000. The rise in criminal damage and arson, doubling from one to two incidents, may reflect isolated incidents tied to property neglect or seasonal maintenance delays. Shoplifting—a category typically driven by retail footfall—increased from zero to one incident, a 100% rise, though this remains well below the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000. These shifts highlight a combination of local dynamics and broader seasonal trends, with the area’s rural nature likely contributing to the overall low crime profile despite the January uptick.

The crime rate in Whittle-le-Woods rose by 55.2% from 1.6 to 2.5 per 1,000 residents between December 2023 and January 2024, marking the first increase in the past year. While this shift may reflect seasonal patterns typical of January—a post-holiday period with shorter days and reduced retail activity—the overall rate remains significantly lower than the UK average. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately one reported crime per day in January, a figure that aligns with the low population density and rural character of the built-up area. Over the course of the month, one crime occurred for roughly every 396 residents, a monthly exposure rate that underscores the area’s relatively safe environment compared to national benchmarks. This context suggests that while January saw a notable uptick, the scale of incidents remains far below what would be expected in more densely populated or urban settings. The population-scaled perspective further highlights that even with the increase, the likelihood of encountering crime remains minimal for residents.