Cotswold Crime Rate September 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Cotswold's September 2025 crime rate of 4.8 per 1,000 residents places the district 35.1% below the UK average of 7.4, a significant margin that underscores its relatively safe profile. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 41.4% of all reported crimes, a figure that remains 22% below the UK average for this category. Anti-social behaviour followed at 17.5%, also lower than the national rate of 1.2 per 1,000. The distribution of crime types suggests a landscape where property crimes are less prevalent than violent offences, a pattern consistent with Cotswold's character as a largely rural district with limited urban density. The seasonal context of September—marked by the return to school and university freshers' week—may have influenced patterns. For instance, the relatively low incidence of shoplifting (0.2 per 1,000) compared to the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000 may reflect the area's smaller retail presence and lower foot traffic in non-urban zones. Conversely, the higher proportion of violent offences could be attributed to the concentrated population in certain areas, such as towns with educational institutions. The overall crime rate, while modest, remains subject to seasonal fluctuations, with the transition from summer to autumn likely affecting outdoor activities and public space usage. These factors, combined with Cotswold's geographic and demographic profile, contribute to a crime picture that diverges from the national average in both magnitude and composition.

The most dramatic month-on-month shift occurred in bicycle theft, which surged by 50% from 2 to 3 incidents. This increase, though small in absolute terms, may partly explain the broader rise in 'other crime' by 41.7% (12 to 17 cases). Both trends could be linked to the arrival of university students, whose heightened mobility and reliance on bicycles during freshers' week may have temporarily disrupted local patterns. Conversely, possession of weapons fell sharply by two-thirds (3 to 1), a reduction consistent with seasonal transitions as evenings draw in and public spaces become less crowded. Drug-related offences also decreased by 37.5% (8 to 5), though this remains well below the UK average of 0.3 per 1,000. Shoplifting increased by 22.2% (18 to 22), a rise that may reflect the dual impact of back-to-school shopping and the increased foot traffic associated with university term starts. These shifts illustrate how specific seasonal and demographic factors can influence crime types in ways that diverge from the national picture.

Cotswold's September 2025 crime rate of 4.8 per 1,000 residents marks an 8.6% decrease from the previous month's 5.3, reflecting a continued downward trend. This equates to roughly 15 reported crimes per day across the district, a figure that, while not negligible, remains well below the UK average. Over the course of the month, one crime occurred for every 208 residents, a monthly exposure rate that suggests a relatively low frequency of incidents compared to national benchmarks. When contextualised against the district's population of 91,661, the 440 total crimes represent a manageable proportion of daily life, though the distribution across crime types reveals nuanced patterns. The daily crime count, while consistent with seasonal fluctuations, highlights the importance of localised factors such as university freshers' week and back-to-school routines in shaping crime dynamics. These metrics provide residents with a tangible frame of reference for understanding local safety, reinforcing that Cotswold's crime profile remains distinct from the UK average.