Whittle-le-Woods Crime Rate April 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Whittle-le-Woods, a built-up area within Chorley, recorded a crime rate of 2.4 per 1,000 in April 2025, significantly below the UK average of 7.7. This figure, 68.8% lower than the national benchmark, underscores the area’s relative safety. The top three crime types were violence and sexual offences (43.8% of total), anti-social behaviour (18.8%), and criminal damage and arson (6.3%). Seasonal factors in April—Easter celebrations and spring weather—may have influenced activity levels, with increased outdoor engagement potentially affecting crime patterns. The area’s low crime rate is consistent with its character as a small, closely-knit community, where social cohesion and local policing may play a role in maintaining order. However, the data also reveals regional disparities, such as the possession of weapons category being 186% above the UK average, a stark contrast to other categories like anti-social behaviour, which are 62% below the national rate. These anomalies suggest that while overall crime remains low, specific types of offences may warrant targeted attention. The seasonal context of April, with its mix of public holidays and milder weather, likely contributed to the balance between increased community activity and the relatively stable crime figures observed. This interplay between local demographics and seasonal trends provides a nuanced picture of the area’s crime profile, highlighting both strengths and areas for potential improvement.

The most dramatic month-on-month shift in April 2025 was the 100% increase in possession of weapons, with one incident reported after none in the previous month. This rise, though small in absolute terms, may indicate a change in local dynamics, such as increased scrutiny or altered policing priorities. Concurrently, other crime and other theft also saw 100% increases, each from zero to one incident, suggesting potential underreporting or new types of criminal activity emerging. In contrast, public order offences fell by 50%, from two to one, possibly linked to the Easter holiday period, when fewer incidents may occur due to reduced public gatherings. Violence and sexual offences decreased by 30%, from 10 to 7, a shift that could reflect seasonal factors, such as the transition from winter to spring, or the impact of local initiatives targeting violent crime. The area’s violent crime rate—1.0 per 1,000—remains 62% below the UK average of 2.6, illustrating a persistent gap between local and national trends. These fluctuations, while minor in scale, warrant attention to ensure they do not signal broader patterns.

Whittle-le-Woods' crime rate in April 2025 fell to 2.4 per 1,000, a 10.9% drop from the previous month’s 2.7. This decline aligns with a broader trend observed in the area, where crime rates have remained consistently low compared to the UK average. Over the course of April, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 421 residents, a figure that contextualises the monthly exposure for local households. When compared to the UK’s average of 7.7 per 1,000, Whittle-le-Woods remains 68.8% below the national benchmark, highlighting the area’s relative safety. The daily crime count in April averaged approximately one incident per day, a statistic that reflects the low frequency of criminal activity in the built-up area. This consistency suggests that local policing strategies and community engagement may be contributing to the sustained low crime levels, though further analysis would be required to confirm such connections. The population context—6,732 residents—further underscores the small scale of the area, where even a single incident can be highly visible to the community.