Wareham Crime Rate January 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Wareham’s crime rate in January 2025 stood at 4.4 per 1,000 residents, a figure that is 38% below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000. This places the area firmly in the safer half of the UK’s crime profile, reflecting a combination of local factors and seasonal dynamics. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 34.6% of all crimes (9 incidents), followed by anti-social behaviour (15.4%, 4 incidents) and burglary (11.5%, 3 incidents). The seasonal context of January—a post-holiday period with reduced retail footfall and shorter days—may have influenced patterns, particularly for shoplifting and outdoor crimes. The area’s violent crime rate, at 1.5 per 1,000 residents, is 40% below the UK average for this category, a trend consistent with Wareham’s character as a small built-up area within Dorset, where community cohesion and lower population density may contribute to lower rates of violent crime. Property crimes, though lower than the UK average for most categories, saw burglary rates 67% above the national average, suggesting a potential vulnerability in residential security. This anomaly may be linked to the area’s geography or specific local conditions, such as the distribution of housing stock. The overall crime profile underscores a balance between relatively low rates of violent and public order offences and pockets of higher property crime, a pattern that aligns with the broader UK trend of property crimes being more geographically variable than violent crimes.

January 2025 saw significant fluctuations in specific crime categories. Burglary increased by 200% compared to December, jumping from one to three incidents—a sharp rise that may reflect seasonal factors such as reduced visibility during shorter days. Public order offences also doubled, rising from one to two incidents, potentially linked to post-holiday social dynamics. Anti-social behaviour saw a 100% increase, with reports rising from two to four, a trend that could be influenced by changes in community activity patterns. Conversely, shoplifting and criminal damage and arson both decreased by 33.3%, with shoplifting falling from three to two incidents and criminal damage and arson dropping from three to two. These declines align with the seasonal context of January, a post-holiday period with reduced retail footfall and fewer opportunities for shoplifting. The area’s violent crime rate—9 incidents (34.6% of total)—remained 40% below the UK average for violence and sexual offences, a consistent trend that may be attributed to Wareham’s character as a relatively small, low-density built-up area within Dorset.

Wareham’s crime rate in January 2025 rose by 37.2% compared to December 2024, climbing from 3.2 to 4.4 per 1,000 residents. While this increase is notable, the area remains 38% below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately one crime per day in January, a figure that translates to a monthly exposure rate of one reported crime for every 226 residents. This places Wareham in a markedly safer position relative to the national average, particularly when considering the UK’s overall higher crime rate. The population context further underscores this safety: with 5,875 residents, the low absolute number of crimes (26) highlights the area’s effectiveness in maintaining public safety. While the rise from the previous month suggests a shift in local patterns, the overall crime rate remains well below the UK benchmark, reflecting a combination of local factors such as community engagement and geographic characteristics that may contribute to lower crime levels.