Whitfield (Dover) Crime Rate December 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominated Whitfield (Dover)’s crime profile in December 2023, accounting for 31% of all reported incidents (13 out of 42 crimes). This category, at 2.2 per 1,000 residents, remained 16% below the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000. The area’s overall crime rate of 7.2 per 1,000 matched the UK average, but the composition of crimes revealed stark contrasts. Anti-social behaviour, which rose sharply to 9 incidents (1.5 per 1,000), was 61% above the UK average of 0.9 per 1,000, reflecting a pattern consistent with the pressures of the festive season. Shoplifting also exceeded UK rates by 84%, with 5 incidents (0.9 per 1,000) compared to the national average of 0.5 per 1,000, a trend likely driven by increased retail activity during the Christmas shopping period. The area’s crime profile, however, was not uniformly elevated: public order offences were 38% below the UK average, and other theft fell by 40% from November. These variations suggest a combination of local conditions and national trends. The month’s seasonal context—dark evenings, holiday gatherings, and the closure of some homes—may have amplified anti-social behaviour and property crime, while the relatively low rates of violence could indicate the effectiveness of local policing or community engagement efforts. The alignment with the UK average overall, despite these variations, highlights the need for targeted interventions in specific areas of concern.

December 2023 saw a dramatic 350% increase in anti-social behaviour, rising from 2 to 9 incidents, a shift that likely reflects the pressures of the festive season and increased social gatherings. Criminal damage and arson also spiked by 300%, with incidents rising from 1 to 4, potentially linked to seasonal property neglect or holiday-related vandalism. Vehicle crime surged 200% (from 1 to 3), possibly due to increased vehicle presence during the Christmas shopping period or reduced patrols in darker evenings. Conversely, other theft fell by 40% (from 5 to 3), a decline that may indicate improved security measures or reduced opportunities during the holiday season. Violence and sexual offences remained 16% below the UK average (2.2 vs 2.6 per 1,000), suggesting that the area’s community policing efforts or demographic factors may contribute to this lower rate. These findings illustrate how specific crime types respond to seasonal and local conditions, with anti-social behaviour and property damage emerging as particularly acute concerns in December.

Whitfield (Dover) recorded a crime rate of 7.2 per 1,000 residents in December 2023, an 82.7% increase from the previous month’s rate of 3.9 per 1,000. This surge highlights a significant shift in local crime dynamics, though the overall rate remains aligned with the UK average. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 140 residents, a figure that contextualises the monthly exposure to crime for the area’s population of 5,867. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately one crime per day, a rate that, while low, reflects the volatility in month-on-month trends. This monthly aggregate does not capture the fluctuating nature of incidents, which may be influenced by seasonal factors such as holiday-related activity and the impact of dark winter evenings on visibility and public behaviour. The comparison to the previous month’s data underscores the importance of monitoring short-term fluctuations, particularly in categories like anti-social behaviour and criminal damage, which saw dramatic increases. These figures, when viewed alongside the area’s population context, provide a clearer picture of how crime patterns evolve in response to local and seasonal conditions.