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

Bourton-on-the-Water's crime rate in March 2025 stood at 3.4 per 1,000 residents, placing it 56.4% below the UK average of 7.8 per 1,000. This continued trend of lower-than-average crime reflects the area's character as a historic, low-density built-up area within the Cotswold region, where tourism and residential stability likely contribute to reduced opportunities for certain crimes. The most common offences were violence and sexual offences (30% of total crimes), followed by anti-social behaviour (25%) and other theft (10%). These figures align with the area's seasonal context: March, a transitional period to spring, saw longer evenings and the clocks moving forward, which may have influenced patterns of social activity. While violence and sexual offences decreased by 25% compared to February, the overall crime rate still maintained its position well below national averages. The low property crime rate (30% of total crimes) contrasts with the UK average, where property crimes typically dominate, suggesting a combination of community cohesion and the area's rural-urban hybrid nature may play a role in this balance. The absence of significant spikes in vehicle crime or burglary further supports the idea that Bourton-on-the-Water's unique mix of tourism infrastructure and residential tranquillity creates a crime profile distinct from larger urban centres.

March 2025 saw a 25% reduction in violence and sexual offences compared to February, with incidents falling from 8 to 6. This decrease may partly explain the overall crime rate's stability despite a 33.2% increase in the monthly rate compared to the previous month. Anti-social behaviour surged by 400%, rising from 1 to 5 incidents, a jump that could be linked to the transition to spring and extended evening hours. Other theft also increased by 100%, from 1 to 2 cases, though these remain well below the UK average for the category. Possession of weapons was 186% above the UK average, with a single incident reported—a stark outlier that may reflect isolated incidents rather than a systemic trend. The crime mix shifted slightly, with anti-social behaviour becoming the second most common category, indicating a potential seasonal influence on public order issues. These fluctuations underscore the importance of contextual factors like local events and weather patterns in shaping monthly crime profiles, even within areas generally considered low-risk.

The crime rate in March 2025 rose 33.2% compared to February's 2.5 per 1,000, but remains significantly lower than the UK average. For residents, this means a daily crime count of roughly one incident per day in Bourton-on-the-Water, a figure that translates to a monthly exposure of one reported crime for every 297 residents. While this may seem low, the 33.2% month-on-month increase highlights the variability of crime patterns in small communities. When scaled to the area's population of 5,933, the 20 total crimes reported in March represent a manageable burden for local services. The UK average of 7.8 per 1,000 provides further context: Bourton-on-the-Water's rate is nearly half that of the national figure, suggesting the area's demographic and geographic characteristics—such as its status as a tourist destination with strong community ties—play a protective role. However, the 400% rise in anti-social behaviour and the outlier spike in weapon possession indicate that even low-crime areas can experience sudden shifts, requiring vigilance from both residents and authorities.