Dacorum Crime Rate May 2025 | Monthly Statistics

May 2025 in Dacorum revealed a combination of crime trends, with bicycle theft emerging as the most striking anomaly. The area's overall crime rate of 7.8 per 1,000 residents placed it 3.7% below the UK average, a modest but consistent gap that underscores local differences in policing, demographics, or socioeconomic factors. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for 32.9% of all incidents—2.6 per 1,000 residents, 8% below the UK average. This suggests a relative stability in violent crime, possibly influenced by Dacorum's character as a commuter belt suburb with mixed residential and commercial zones. Anti-social behaviour, however, stood out as a significant concern, occurring at 1.8 per 1,000 residents—27% above the UK average. This disparity may reflect the area's density of public spaces or the presence of transient populations in local retail hubs. Seasonal factors in May, including longer evenings and bank holidays, likely contributed to increased socialising and outdoor activity, which may have amplified anti-social incidents. Meanwhile, shoplifting remained 10% below the UK average (0.6 vs 0.7 per 1,000), a trend that could be attributed to effective retail security measures or the area's lower foot traffic compared to major urban centres. The data also highlights a notable reduction in theft from the person (0.0 vs 0.1 per 1,000), linked to heightened awareness during warmer months or the presence of CCTV in high-traffic areas. These patterns illustrate the nuanced relationship between local geography, community dynamics, and crime, requiring ongoing analysis to inform targeted interventions.

Bicycle theft in May 2025 saw an unprecedented 250% increase, jumping from 4 to 14 incidents—a stark contrast to the UK average of 0.1 per 1,000. This surge, while unexplained by available data, may partly reflect seasonal shifts, such as increased cycling during warmer weather or events attracting new demographics. Concurrently, burglary rose by 50% (36 to 54), and criminal damage and arson climbed by 30.7% (75 to 98), both of which likely correlate with May's extended daylight and social activity. Conversely, drug-related crimes dropped by 43.5% (23 to 13), and theft from the person fell by 36.4% (11 to 7), suggesting potential reductions in targeted activity. Anti-social behaviour in Dacorum remains 27% above the UK average (1.8 vs 1.4 per 1,000), a persistent challenge that may reflect local social dynamics or policing priorities.

Dacorum's crime rate in May 2025 rose to 7.8 per 1,000 residents, marking a 5.7% increase from the previous month's 7.3 per 1,000. This shift translates to approximately 40 crimes reported daily, a figure that provides a tangible sense of local activity. Over the course of May, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 129 residents, a monthly aggregate that contextualises the scale of incidents against the area's population of 161,420. While the overall rate remains 3.7% below the UK average, the directional change from April to May reflects a dynamic local environment. The population-scaled perspective highlights that Dacorum's crime profile, though lower than the national average, is not static—its fluctuations align with seasonal rhythms and local factors such as extended evenings and increased socialising during May's bank holidays.