Brandon (County Durham) Crime Rate September 2024 | Monthly Statistics

September 2024 saw Brandon (County Durham) maintain a crime rate of 5.5 per 1,000 residents, 28.6% below the UK average of 7.7. This stability contrasts with broader national trends, reflecting the area's unique characteristics. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for 57.6% of all reported incidents—nearly double the share of the next most common category, criminal damage and arson (11.9%). This pattern aligns with the area's status as a built-up district within a historically industrial region, where community dynamics and local infrastructure may influence crime patterns. The seasonal context of September, marked by the return to school and university term beginnings, likely contributes to the elevated proportion of violent offences. Anti-social behaviour and shoplifting rates remained significantly below UK averages, suggesting effective local interventions or demographic factors that mitigate these types of crime. While the overall rate shows no month-on-month increase (just a 1.7% rise from August's 5.4), the composition of crimes reveals shifts in priority for local policing and community engagement. The low levels of vehicle crime and burglary, 56% and 35% below UK averages respectively, may indicate strong residential security measures or a lower density of commercial properties compared to national benchmarks. As the nights draw in and the academic year progresses, continued monitoring of violent crime trends will be crucial for maintaining this relative safety.

September 2024 brought sharp month-on-month changes in Brandon's crime profile, with violence and sexual offences surging by 54.5% to 34 incidents. This increase, from 22 in August, may be linked to the start of the academic year, as freshers' week and back-to-school routines create new social dynamics. Concurrently, bicycle theft doubled to one incident, a stark contrast to the previous month's zero reports—though this remains a single data point. Public order offences fell by 75% to 2, and anti-social behaviour dropped by 57.1% to 3, potentially reflecting seasonal changes in community activity. The crime mix also showed marked disparities compared to UK averages: violence and sexual offences (3.2 per 1,000) were 22% above the national rate, while anti-social behaviour (0.3 per 1,000) was 74% below. These figures suggest Brandon's crime profile is shaped by local factors—a higher concentration of educational institutions contributing to violent crime, or effective community policing reducing anti-social behaviour. For residents, the 54.5% increase in violent offences is a specific insight that may prompt calls for targeted safety measures in high-traffic areas near schools and universities.

Brandon's crime rate of 5.5 per 1,000 in September 2024 represents a marginal 1.7% increase from August's 5.4, indicating a stable trend over the two-month period. This stability is notable given the seasonal influx of students and returning residents. On a daily basis, the area experiences approximately 2 crimes per day—a figure that, while modest, underscores the need for consistent community vigilance. Over the course of the month, 1 in every 182 residents reported a crime, a ratio that places Brandon well below the UK's broader context, where higher population density and urban centres typically see more frequent incidents. With a population of 10,739, the low monthly exposure rate suggests that local factors—such as effective policing strategies or the area's built-up nature with fewer isolated dwellings—may contribute to this relative safety. The comparison also highlights the importance of population context: while 59 total crimes may seem significant in absolute terms, the per capita rate remains comfortably below national averages. This provides residents with a tangible benchmark for assessing local crime trends, reinforcing that Brandon's built-up character and its proximity to other services or community resources help maintain a lower crime profile compared to more dispersed or rural areas.