Bourton-on-the-Water Crime Rate October 2024 | Monthly Statistics

The crime profile in Bourton-on-the-Water during October 2024 reveals a distinct balance between property-related and violent crime, shaped by the area's character as a picturesque Cotswold village with seasonal rhythms. At 5.1 crimes per 1,000 residents, the local rate is 37% below the UK average of 8.1, highlighting the area's relative safety compared to national trends. The most prevalent category was anti-social behaviour (33.3% of total crimes), followed by violence and sexual offences (23.3%) and vehicle crime (10.0%). This mix suggests a community where public order issues and minor disturbances dominate over more serious crimes, consistent with a rural area that attracts tourists but maintains low levels of violent crime. Seasonal factors such as shorter evenings and Halloween likely contributed to the spike in anti-social behaviour, which saw a 100% increase from September. The lower rate of violent crime compared to the UK average (55% below) may reflect the area's small population and limited nightlife, though the 100% rise in vehicle crime could indicate increased traffic or changes in local parking patterns. The relatively high proportion of anti-social behaviour (1.7 per 1,000) compared to the UK average (1.3) may partly explain the overall rate, suggesting that managing public order remains a key focus for local authorities. The low levels of burglary (0.3 per 1,000) and shoplifting (0.2 per 1,000) — 72% and 49% below UK averages respectively — further align with the area's character as a low-density, tourist-friendly location with limited commercial activity outside of seasonal periods. This pattern indicates that while the area is not immune to crime, its unique social and geographic context shapes the types of incidents most commonly reported.

October 2024 saw dramatic shifts in crime patterns compared to September, with anti-social behaviour tripling to 10 incidents (33.3% of total crimes), while violent crime fell by 65% to 7 incidents. This contrast highlights a significant shift in the balance between public order issues and more serious offences, possibly influenced by Halloween-related activity and the closure of local businesses during the month. The 100% increase in vehicle crime (3 incidents) may indicate changes in parking habits or increased traffic during the autumn season, though the UK average for vehicle crime (0.5 per 1,000) remains slightly higher than Bourton-on-the-Water's rate. Criminal damage and arson doubled from 1 to 2 incidents, a category that is 49% below the UK average. This suggests that while the area remains relatively safe, certain types of property crime are showing upward trends. The sharp decline in violent crime (from 20 to 7 incidents) is particularly striking, with the local rate for violence and sexual offences (1.2 per 1,000) now 55% below the UK average of 2.7. This may reflect the area's low population density and limited opportunities for such crimes. For residents, the 65% drop in violent crime offers a tangible example of how seasonal factors can influence local crime trends, even in areas where overall rates remain low.

The crime rate in Bourton-on-the-Water for October 2024 (5.1 per 1,000) represents a 26.8% decrease from the previous month's rate of 6.9, demonstrating a clear downward trend in the local crime picture. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately 1 crime per day over the 31-day period, a figure that provides residents with a concrete sense of the frequency of incidents in their immediate environment. When scaled to the local population of 5,933, this translates to one reported crime occurring for roughly every 198 residents over the course of the month — a monthly exposure rate that is significantly lower than the UK average. This statistic, while not directly comparable to national figures, underscores the area's relative safety. The population-scaled perspective also highlights that the local crime rate is distributed across a much smaller community, which may amplify the visibility of individual incidents while maintaining overall low levels. For example, the 10 incidents of anti-social behaviour represent a noticeable presence in a community of just under 6,000 people, yet the overall rate remains well below national benchmarks. This contrast between local perception and national statistics illustrates how crime rates can appear more significant in smaller communities, even when they are objectively low. The comparison to the previous month's rate also suggests that efforts to address public order issues may have had an impact, though the exact mechanisms behind the 26.8% drop remain speculative without further data.