Ottery St Mary Crime Rate December 2024 | Monthly Statistics

For a population of 6,077 residents, 22 crimes were recorded in Ottery St Mary during December 2024 — translating to 3.6 crimes per 1,000 people. This rate is 49.3% below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000, reflecting a safer environment compared to national trends. The most common crime types were violence and sexual offences (5 incidents, 22.7% of total), followed by anti-social behaviour (4 incidents, 18.2%) and criminal damage and arson (3 incidents, 13.6%). Seasonal factors likely influenced these patterns, with Christmas shopping and the party season creating conditions that may have contributed to public order issues. The area’s character as a small built-up community within East Devon, likely with a mix of residential and local commercial activity, may help explain the relatively low crime rates compared to larger urban centres. While December typically sees increased foot traffic and social gatherings, the data suggests that these factors did not lead to a proportional rise in crime, with certain categories like violence and sexual offences showing marked declines. The absence of major retail hubs or high-density housing may also play a role in keeping property crime rates lower than the UK average, as evidenced by shoplifting and vehicle crime rates being 65% and 50% below national figures respectively. This combination of demographic and geographic factors appears to create a unique crime profile that diverges from both urban and rural trends.

December 2024 saw notable shifts in crime patterns compared to November, with violence and sexual offences dropping by 61.5% (from 13 to 5 incidents) — a decrease that may reflect reduced public gatherings during the holiday season or increased community vigilance. Conversely, public order offences surged by 200% (from 1 to 3 incidents), possibly linked to festive events or heightened enforcement activity. Burglary and other theft also increased by 100% each (from 0 to 2 incidents), though these remain well below the UK average for their categories. The crime mix also shows stark contrasts with national trends: violence and sexual offences in Ottery St Mary are 69% below the UK average (0.8 vs 2.6 per 1,000), while public order offences are 11% above (0.5 vs 0.5 per 1,000). These figures highlight the area’s unique dynamics, where community-focused policing and the absence of major commercial zones may help suppress violent crime but could also lead to localized spikes in other categories. Residents may find the 22.7% share of violence and sexual offences in the total crime count particularly relevant, as this category remains the most common despite the overall decline.

Ottery St Mary’s December 2024 crime rate of 3.6 per 1,000 residents represents an 8.4% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.0, continuing a downward trend. On a daily basis, this equates to roughly one reported crime every 31 days — a figure that may seem abstract but translates to a monthly exposure of one crime for every 276 residents. When scaled to the area’s population of 6,077, this means that over the course of the month, the likelihood of any individual resident being directly affected by crime was approximately 0.36%. This is significantly lower than the UK average, where the equivalent monthly exposure would be roughly double. The area’s built-up character within East Devon, likely featuring a mix of historic housing and local amenities, may contribute to this lower exposure compared to larger urban areas. While the daily crime count appears low, the data also shows that certain categories — such as public order offences — exceeded the UK average by 11%, suggesting that localized factors (like seasonal events or community interactions) can temporarily influence crime patterns even in generally low-risk areas. For residents, this means that while the overall risk remains minimal, awareness of specific seasonal trends may help maintain the area’s current safety profile.