Soham Crime Rate May 2023 | Monthly Statistics

In May 2023, Soham maintained its status as one of the UK's safest built-up areas, with a crime rate of 3.7 per 1,000 residents—53.8% below the national average of 8.0 per 1,000. This figure reflects a long-standing pattern of low crime, consistent with the area's rural-adjacent character and strong community ties. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 33.3% of all crimes, making them the dominant category in the local crime picture. This is notable given the area's limited nightlife infrastructure, which typically correlates with lower rates of violent crime in similar towns. Anti-social behaviour followed at 16.7%, a figure that remains 55% below the UK average, suggesting effective local policing or community engagement strategies. The seasonal context of May—marked by longer evenings and increased outdoor activity—may have influenced the distribution of crimes, though the overall low rate indicates that these factors have not led to significant spikes. Criminal damage and arson accounted for 11.9% of incidents, a category that is 19% below the UK average, possibly reflecting the area's relatively low levels of economic deprivation compared to other parts of the country.

Violence and sexual offences saw the most dramatic decline in May, falling 58.8% from 34 to 14 incidents. This sharp reduction may partly reflect the transition into the summer season, when outdoor activity typically shifts to more public spaces. Vehicle crime, however, experienced a 100% increase, rising from zero to four incidents—a spike that could be linked to increased car ownership or changes in parking patterns. Burglary rates in May were 29% above the UK average, a unique outlier in an otherwise low-crime area. This divergence from national trends suggests specific local vulnerabilities, though further analysis would be needed to identify precise contributing factors. The 60% decrease in public order offences, from 10 to 4, aligns with the seasonal context of longer evenings and fewer bank holidays in May, which may reduce opportunities for disorderly conduct.

Soham's crime rate in May 2023 fell 38.3% compared to April's 6.1 per 1,000, reflecting a marked downward trend. This decline aligns with the area's consistently low crime profile, which has remained 53.8% below the UK average for over a decade. On a daily basis, Soham recorded roughly one crime per day in May, a figure that contextualises the low frequency of incidents for residents. When considering the population, the monthly exposure rate of 1-in-267 residents highlights the rarity of crime in this built-up area. This is particularly notable given the town's proximity to Cambridge, where higher urban densities typically correlate with elevated crime rates. The population-scaled perspective reinforces that Soham's crime levels are exceptionally low even within a regional context, suggesting that local factors such as community cohesion and policing effectiveness may contribute to this outcome.