Bourton-on-the-Water Crime Rate February 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Bourton-on-the-Water, a picturesque built-up area within the Cotswold region, continues to maintain a crime rate significantly below the UK average, with 2.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in February 2025. This figure represents a 62.7% reduction compared to the national average of 6.7 per 1,000, underscoring the area's reputation as one of the safest places in the country. The breakdown of crimes reveals a marked dominance of violent and sexual offences, which accounted for 53.3% of all reported incidents, followed by property-related offences such as shoplifting and criminal damage, which together make up 26.7% of the total. This distribution is unusual, as many rural and semi-rural areas in the UK typically see property crime as the most prevalent category. The elevated proportion of violent crime may be partly explained by the town's seasonal context: February, being a winter month, sees lower outdoor activity and fewer tourists, which could influence the nature of incidents. However, the overall low volume of crimes—just 15 in total for a population of 5,933—suggests that the area's character as a tranquil, low-density community with limited commercial activity plays a significant role in maintaining its low crime rate. The seasonal context, with its pre-spring lull, may also contribute to the relative stability of crime figures, as the transition from winter to spring often sees fluctuations in criminal activity, though these appear minimal in Bourton-on-the-Water.

February 2025 saw notable shifts in crime patterns, with a 100% increase in both shoplifting and other theft compared to the previous month. This rise, from zero to two shoplifting incidents and zero to one other theft, suggests a potential seasonal anomaly. Violence and sexual offences rose by 33.3% (from six to eight incidents), yet this category still sits 40% below the UK average of 2.4 per 1,000. Conversely, anti-social behaviour dropped by 50%, reflecting a reduction in incidents from two to one. The breakdown reveals a striking contrast: while violent crime constitutes 53.3% of total crimes, property-related offences account for only 26.7%, indicating a shift in the crime mix. This imbalance may be influenced by the area's seasonal context, with winter months typically seeing reduced outdoor activity and fewer visitors, potentially altering the dynamics of criminal behaviour.

Bourton-on-the-Water's crime rate rose by 15.5% from 2.2 to 2.5 per 1,000 residents in February 2025, marking the first upward movement in recent months. Despite this increase, the area remains exceptionally safe compared to the UK average, with crime levels 62.7% below the national rate. On a daily basis, the town recorded approximately one crime per day over the 28-day period, a figure that aligns with its small population and low-density environment. When scaled to the population, the monthly exposure rate of one crime for every 396 residents highlights the rarity of incidents in this built-up area. This statistic, while modest, reflects the town's character as a quiet Cotswold village with limited commercial activity and a strong community presence, factors that likely contribute to its consistently low crime profile. The population-scaled perspective underscores that even with the 15.5% increase, the absolute number of crimes remains minimal, reinforcing the area's status as a safe place to live.