Gillingham (Dorset) Crime Rate October 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Gillingham (Dorset) experienced a crime rate of 5.8 per 1,000 residents in October 2024, placing it 28.4% below the UK average of 8.1 per 1,000. This figure reflects a generally low-crime environment, consistent with the characteristics of a built-up area within Dorset, which historically combines residential tranquility with limited urban density. The most common crime types were vehicle crime (27.3% of total), violence and sexual offences (25.8%), and anti-social behaviour (15.2%). These patterns align with the area's mix of suburban living and small-scale commercial activity, where vehicle-related incidents may be influenced by local traffic patterns and seasonal factors. October, with its darker evenings and Halloween festivities, may have contributed to increased anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime, though the exact causal links remain speculative. Violent crime rates in Gillingham were 44% below the UK average, suggesting a community profile that may include lower levels of nightlife activity or stronger social cohesion compared to larger urban centres. The overall crime rate, while showing a 43.6% increase from September 2024, remains significantly below the national benchmark, indicating a resilient local safety record despite seasonal fluctuations. This data underscores the importance of contextualising crime statistics within both geographic and temporal frameworks, as Gillingham's built-up area status and Dorset's rural-urban balance shape its unique crime profile.

The most striking month-on-month change in October 2024 was a 500% surge in vehicle crime, rising from 3 to 18 incidents. This dramatic increase, while unexplained by the data, may be influenced by factors such as increased traffic during October or unseasonal weather patterns affecting vehicle security. Burglary also saw a 200% increase, moving from 1 to 3 incidents, though this remains within the broader context of Gillingham's consistently low burglary rates (4.6% below the UK average). Conversely, public order offences decreased by 40%, and criminal damage and arson fell by 28.6%, suggesting potential seasonal moderation in anti-social activities as Halloween passed. Vehicle crime in Gillingham (1.6 per 1,000) was 240% above the UK average of 0.5 per 1,000, highlighting a specific vulnerability in the area's transport infrastructure or parking environments. This disparity from national trends could be linked to Gillingham's built-up area status, where higher vehicle density and limited parking enforcement may create opportunities for theft. Meanwhile, violence and sexual offences (1.5 per 1,000) were 44% below the UK average, reinforcing the area's comparatively safer profile for such crimes. Residents may find the 240% excess in vehicle crime particularly noteworthy, as it represents a stark contrast to the UK-wide trend and suggests targeted local measures could be beneficial.

Gillingham's crime rate in October 2024 (5.8 per 1,000) marked a 43.6% increase from September's 4.1 per 1,000.4% below the UK average. Over the 31-day period, this translated to roughly 2 crimes per day, or one reported crime for every 172 residents during the month. When contextualised against the area's population of 11,325, this suggests that the majority of residents are unlikely to experience crime directly, though the sharp rise in vehicle crime may have created localized concerns. The daily crime figure of 2 incidents per day is consistent with a low-crime built-up area, though the 500% increase in vehicle crime raises questions about whether this reflects a temporary spike or a shift in criminal activity patterns. The monthly exposure metric (1-in-172 residents) provides a useful benchmark for residents assessing their personal risk, though this is an aggregate figure and does not account for variations in individual circumstances. Compared to the UK average, Gillingham's overall safety record remains strong, particularly in categories like violence and sexual offences, which were 44% below the national rate. However, the 240% excess in vehicle crime underscores the need for targeted interventions in this specific area of the local crime profile.