St Ives Crime Rate January 2026 | Monthly Statistics

St Ives (Cornwall) reported a crime rate of 8.8 per 1,000 residents in January 2026, placing it 29.4% above the UK average of 6.8 per 1,000. This stark divergence from the national picture highlights the area's unique challenges. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, contributing 44.7% of all reported incidents, followed by criminal damage and arson (19.2%) and anti-social behaviour (10.6%). These figures contrast sharply with UK averages, where violence and sexual offences are 56% below the national rate for this category. The seasonal context of January—a post-holiday period marked by reduced retail footfall and shorter daylight hours—may partly explain the higher incidence of violence, though the significant overrepresentation of criminal damage and arson suggests other factors at play. The area's coastal tourism infrastructure and seasonal visitor patterns could contribute to incidents of anti-social behaviour. This data underscores the need for targeted policing strategies in high-risk categories while acknowledging the limitations of seasonal analysis in capturing long-term trends.

January 2026 saw dramatic month-on-month increases in criminal damage and arson (+350%), public order offences (+200%), and other theft (+100%), reflecting a sharp shift in the crime mix. The 9 reported cases of criminal damage and arson—254% above the UK average—suggest a surge in property-related incidents, potentially linked to the area's tourism-driven economy and seasonal property vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour remained below UK levels (3% below), indicating a relative success in managing disruptive conduct. The breakdown also reveals stark contrasts: while shoplifting was 30% below the UK average, other crime categories such as 'other crime' and 'burglary' were 150% and 43% above national rates respectively. For residents, the most immediate concern is the 21 cases of violence and sexual offences, which exceed the UK average by 56%, pointing to a need for enhanced community safety measures. These findings highlight both localized challenges and areas where St Ives' crime profile diverges significantly from the national trend.

The crime rate in St Ives rose sharply from 5.6 per 1,000 in December 2025 to 8.8 per 1,000 in January 2026, marking a 56.5% increase. This surge translates to roughly 2 crimes reported per day in January—a figure that, while seemingly low, represents a significant monthly exposure: over the course of the month, 1 reported crime occurred for roughly every 114 residents. When contextualized against the area's population of 5,369, this means that the likelihood of being directly affected by crime in January was approximately 1 in 114, a rate higher than the UK average. The disparity is most pronounced in violent crime categories, where the local rate of violence and sexual offences (3.9 per 1,000) far outpaces the UK average (2.5 per 1,000). For residents, this suggests a heightened need for situational awareness, particularly in public spaces. The daily crime count, though modest, reflects a concentration of incidents in specific categories that demand targeted policing and community engagement strategies. This comparison underscores the urgency of addressing the unique factors contributing to St Ives' elevated crime profile relative to the national context.