Burwell Crime Rate December 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Burwell’s December 2024 crime rate of 2.5 per 1,000 residents places the area 64.8% below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000, a stark contrast to national trends. This low rate is underpinned by the dominance of property-related crimes, which accounted for 50% of the total 16 reported incidents. Violence and sexual offences, the most common category at 5 incidents (31.3% of total), remain significantly below the UK average, with their rate at 0.8 per 1,000 compared to the national 2.6 per 1,000. The seasonal context of December—characterised by Christmas shopping, extended evenings, and the potential for empty homes over the holidays—may have influenced the crime profile. For instance, the increase in criminal damage and arson could be linked to the higher visibility of festive decorations and the use of public spaces during colder weather. However, the overall decline in violent crime aligns with patterns observed in smaller built-up areas, where community cohesion and lower population density may mitigate opportunities for such offences. The relatively low rate of vehicle crime (0.2 per 1,000) also suggests that Burwell’s residential layout, likely featuring fewer high-traffic zones, contributes to reduced opportunities for theft. These patterns reinforce the area’s character as a low-crime, community-oriented locale, where the absence of major commercial or industrial hubs likely plays a role in maintaining safety.

December saw a sharp 300% increase in criminal damage and arson, rising from one to four incidents. This surge, though still low in absolute terms, may partly reflect seasonal factors such as festive decorations and increased use of open spaces during dark evenings. Conversely, violence and sexual offences fell by 28.6%, from seven to five, bringing the rate to 0.8 per 1,000—69% below the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000. This decline is consistent with typical December patterns, where holiday gatherings and reduced nightlife activity may deter violent incidents. The month also saw a 100% rise in drugs-related crimes, with one incident reported in December compared to none in November. While this increase is statistically significant, it remains an isolated occurrence in a jurisdiction where such offences are rare. Public order offences, meanwhile, dropped by 33.3%, from three to two, likely linked to fewer large-scale events during the festive period.

Burwell’s December 2024 crime rate of 2.5 per 1,000 residents marks a 23.8% decrease from the previous month’s 3.2 per 1,000, reflecting a continued downward trend. This reduction, though modest, aligns with the area’s historically low crime profile compared to the UK average. On a daily basis, the 16 reported crimes over 31 days equate to roughly one crime per day, a figure that underscores the relatively quiet nature of local criminal activity. When scaled to the population, the monthly exposure of one crime for every 405 residents provides a tangible measure of risk for residents. This ratio, while small, highlights the rarity of crime in Burwell compared to larger urban centres, where daily crime rates often exceed 10 per 1,000. The consistency in low crime rates may partly reflect the area’s character as a small, closely-knit built-up area within East Cambridgeshire, where community cohesion and lower population density likely contribute to reduced opportunities for crime.