Ashbourne Crime Rate February 2024 | Monthly Statistics

February 2024 saw Ashbourne maintain a crime rate of 4.6 per 1,000 residents, significantly below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000. This places the area 35.2% safer than the national benchmark, a consistent trend for the built-up area within Derbyshire Dales. The most prevalent crime category was violence and sexual offences, accounting for 46.5% of all reported incidents—20 cases in total. Anti-social behaviour followed at 14.0%, with public order offences comprising 11.6% of the total. The seasonal context of February, a winter month marked by reduced outdoor activity and a pre-spring lull, may contribute to these patterns. While violence and sexual offences remain the dominant concern, the overall crime profile reflects a relatively low-risk environment compared to UK averages. The area's crime rate has remained stable over recent months, with no sharp spikes or drops that would suggest sudden shifts in local dynamics. The breakdown of offences also highlights a strong focus on personal safety, with theft from the person and shoplifting comprising just 7% of all crimes, suggesting that property-related crimes are not the primary concern in this rural-adjacent community. This aligns with the character of Ashbourne as a small, largely residential area with limited commercial density, where interpersonal conflicts and public disorder may be more likely to surface than large-scale property crime.

February 2024 marked a 10.2% decrease in Ashbourne's overall crime rate compared to January 2024, falling from 5.1 to 4.6 per 1,000 residents. This decline was driven by a 13.0% reduction in violence and sexual offences, which dropped from 23 to 20 cases—a shift that may reflect seasonal factors or community interventions. However, public order offences saw a sharp 150.0% increase, rising from 2 to 5 incidents, a change that could indicate heightened tensions during colder weather or disruptions linked to local events. The category of drugs-related offences also surged by 100.0%, with one reported case in February compared to none in January, though this remains a small proportion of overall crime. In contrast, shoplifting decreased by 50.0%, with incidents halving from 4 to 2—a trend that might align with reduced foot traffic during the winter months. Violence and sexual offences, while still the most common category, are 16% below the UK average of 2.5 per 1,000, suggesting that Ashbourne's approach to managing interpersonal crime may be more effective than the national norm. Anti-social behaviour, at 0.6 per 1,000, is 43% below the UK average of 1.1 per 1,000, a statistic that could be attributed to the area's smaller population and more tightly knit community structures. These variations highlight both the resilience of local policing and the unique challenges posed by seasonal fluctuations in crime patterns.

Ashbourne's crime rate in February 2024 (4.6 per 1,000) represents a 10.2% decrease from the previous month's rate of 5.1 per 1,000, indicating a sustained trend of reduced criminal activity. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately one reported crime per day over the 29-day period, a figure that, while low, reflects the need for continuous vigilance. When scaled to the population of 9,440 residents, this translates to one reported crime occurring for roughly every 220 residents over the course of the month—a monthly exposure rate that is lower than the UK average. This statistic provides a tangible context for residents, showing that the likelihood of experiencing a crime in Ashbourne is significantly less than in many other parts of the country. The comparison also reveals that the area's crime profile is distinctly shaped by its demographic and geographic characteristics. As a built-up area within a rural district, Ashbourne's crime mix leans heavily toward interpersonal offences rather than property-related crimes, a pattern that contrasts with more densely populated urban centres where theft and burglary dominate. The relatively low crime rate, combined with the area's seasonal lull in February, suggests that the combination of local policing efforts and the natural rhythms of a smaller community may be playing a role in maintaining this lower-than-average crime environment.