Cornwall Crime Rate November 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominated Cornwall’s crime profile in November 2023, accounting for 34.9% of all reported incidents. This category, which recorded 660 cases at a rate of 1.1 per 1,000 residents, was 58% below the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000. The overall crime rate for the district stood at 3.3 per 1,000 residents, placing it 56% below the national average of 7.5 per 1,000. This significant disparity reflects Cornwall’s unique demographic and geographic profile, which includes a mix of rural communities, coastal towns, and tourist hubs. Seasonal factors in November—such as Bonfire Night, Black Friday shopping, and the onset of darker evenings—likely influenced crime patterns, though the overall rate remained stable compared to previous months. Anti-social behaviour followed as the second most common category, with 422 incidents recorded, while criminal damage and arson contributed 11.0% of total crimes. These figures suggest that while localised issues such as public order and anti-social conduct remain persistent, the district’s overall safety record continues to outperform national averages. The lower rates of property crime, including shoplifting and burglary, which were 64% and 71% below UK averages respectively, may be attributed to Cornwall’s lower population density and the absence of large urban centres that typically see higher rates of such offences.

November 2023 saw a 40% increase in robbery cases, rising from 5 to 7 incidents—a sharp contrast to the 50% drop in theft from the person, which fell from 16 to 8. These shifts reflect possible seasonal influences, with dark evenings potentially increasing vulnerability for victims of street crime. The category of drugs also rose by 33.3%, from 45 to 60 incidents, a trend that may be linked to Black Friday shopping activity or increased socialising in the area. Meanwhile, vehicle crime decreased by 31.6%, from 76 to 52, due to reduced car usage during colder weather. Violence and sexual offences remained the dominant category, accounting for 34.9% of all reported crimes, but this rate was 58% below the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000. The stark contrast between local and national figures underscores Cornwall’s distinct crime profile, which is shaped by its coastal geography and lower population density compared to major urban centres.

Cornwall's November 2023 crime rate of 3.3 per 1,000 residents represents a 5.8% decline from the previous month’s rate of 3.5 per 1,000. This downward trend aligns with broader seasonal patterns in the area, where colder weather and shorter daylight hours often correlate with reduced outdoor activity. Locally, the daily crime count averaged 63 incidents per day, a figure that contextualises the scale of activity within the district’s population of 583,289. Over the course of November, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 308 residents, a monthly exposure rate that remains lower than the UK average. This statistic reflects the area’s broader safety profile, though it does not account for variations in local demographics or geographic spread. The population-scaled perspective highlights that, despite the presence of major tourist attractions and coastal towns, the district maintains a crime profile that is significantly below national benchmarks. This consistency with previous months suggests that systemic factors—such as community policing strategies or the area’s rural-urban mix—play a sustained role in shaping crime trends.