Bottisham Crime Rate

Bottisham is a quiet and highly regarded village in East Cambridgeshire, known for its strong community and high safety standards. The area boasts an impressive safety score of 89/100, placing it well above the UK average of 78/100. Its overall crime rate stands at 51.8 per 1,000 residents, which is significantly lower than the national average of 93.1. However, recent data shows a notable 44.8% increase in reported incidents over the past year. While the absolute number of crimes remains low, this rising trend suggests that residents should remain vigilant. This report breaks down the specific crime types, temporal patterns, and local comparisons to provide a comprehensive view of safety in Bottisham.

Crime in Bottisham

In Bottisham, violence and sexual offences constitute the largest portion of reported crime, accounting for 32.1% of all incidents, or 16.7 per 1,000 people. Anti-social behaviour is also significant, representing 26.2% of the total. Interestingly, drug-related offences are more prominent here than in many similar areas, making up 10.7% of local crime. Property crime in Bottisham remains relatively low with a rate of 8.0 per 1,000 residents. Within this category, vehicle crime is the most frequent issue, representing 7.1% of all reports. Burglary (3.6%) and other theft (2.4%) occur less often but still contribute to the local property crime landscape. For homeowners, the data suggests that while the village is generally secure, vehicle security and deterrents against opportunistic theft are the most relevant areas for practical protection.

Bottisham Crime Trends

The crime trend in Bottisham is currently moving upwards, with a 44.8% increase in total reported incidents over the last year. Monthly data shows that the crime rate per 1,000 residents reached its highest point in March 2025 at 6.8, followed by another significant peak in October 2025 at 6.2. The lowest activity was recorded in January 2025, with a rate of 1.9. This volatility suggests that crime in the village is not constant but occurs in clusters. While the overall numbers are still low compared to national averages, the sharp percentage increase indicates that the village is experiencing more frequent criminal activity than in the previous twelve-month period. Residents should take this as a sign to review their home security and stay informed through local community safety groups.

How To Keep Safe in Bottisham

The most common crime type in Bottisham is violence and sexual offences, often occurring in private or specific social contexts. However, maintaining personal safety in public spaces remains important.

1. When walking through the village at night, stick to well-lit paths and be aware of your surroundings, particularly near transit points.
2. If you witness anti-social behaviour, which is the second most common issue in the area, report it to local police to help them allocate resources effectively.
3. Given the presence of drug-related offences (10.7%), stay alert to unusual activity in public parks or secluded areas and report any concerns.
4. Secure your vehicles overnight; vehicle crime is the most frequent property offence in Bottisham, particularly during the late-night hours.
5. Ensure that home security measures are active during the afternoon, as data shows this is the peak time for burglary incidents in the village.

Crime Timing in Bottisham

Analysis of crime timing in Bottisham reveals specific windows of risk for different offences. Burglary is most likely to occur during the afternoon (47%), a pattern often associated with intruders targeting homes while residents are at work. Evening hours (32%) also see significant burglary activity. In contrast, vehicle crime is overwhelmingly a night-time issue, with 71% of incidents occurring between 12am and 6am. This highlights a clear shift from residential intrusion during the day to vehicle-related theft under the cover of darkness. Morning hours see the lowest overall property crime, though vehicle crime still accounts for 53% of incidents in that period. Residents can use this data to focus their security efforts, such as ensuring vehicles are garaged at night and home alarms are set during afternoon outings.

In the local context of East Cambridgeshire, Bottisham is part of a very low-crime cluster. It has a slightly higher crime rate (51.8) than Great Wilbraham (45.5), which is its closest comparable neighbour. Several very small nearby settlements, including Swaffham Bulbeck, Lode, and Stow cum Quy, reported zero crimes per 1,000 residents in the same period. While Bottisham's rate is higher than these immediate neighbours, it still represents a very secure environment when compared to larger Cambridgeshire towns. For residents, the area offers a high degree of safety, though the recent upward trend in reports is a point of distinction from some of its zero-crime neighbours.

Protecting Your Bottisham Home

Bottisham’s property crime rate of 8.0 per 1,000 residents is low, but the 44.8% year-over-year increase in total crime highlights the importance of staying ahead of local trends. In many cases, traditional security systems act only as digital witnesses; they provide footage of a crime after it has already taken place. For a village like Bottisham, where vehicle crime and afternoon burglaries are the primary property concerns, a more proactive approach is required.

An AI-powered security operating system like scOS changes the dynamic from reaction to prevention. By using intelligent boundary detection, scOS can identify a potential intruder or an unrecognised vehicle before they reach your front door. The system’s ability to distinguish between a delivery driver and a genuine threat means it can initiate an autonomous response—such as voice alerts or high-intensity lighting—to stop a crime in progress. In an area where most burglaries happen in the afternoon, having a system that "watches" and acts while you are away provides a level of security that traditional recording devices simply cannot match.