Ottery St Mary Crime Rate July 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Ottery St Mary's crime profile in July 2024 reveals a marked contrast between property and violent crime, with the former slightly outpacing the latter. The overall crime rate of 5.8 per 1,000 residents placed the area 31% below the UK average, a disparity that underscores its relatively low-risk environment. Violence and sexual offences constituted the largest share of incidents (31.4%), but their rate of 1.8 per 1,000 residents was 37% below the national average, a trend consistent with the area's small, close-knit community structure. Other theft, however, emerged as a notable outlier, with its rate of 1.3 per 1,000 residents surpassing the UK average by 120%, likely reflecting the increased presence of tourists and festival-goers during the peak summer season. This category's 700% month-on-month increase from June highlights the seasonal volatility in certain crime types. Anti-social behaviour, which accounted for 14.3% of total incidents, saw a 28.6% decrease compared to the previous month, possibly due to enhanced policing during the summer period. The area's crime picture in July was shaped by the interplay of its rural-urban hybrid character, with tourism and local events acting as both catalysts and mitigators for different offence types. The relatively low rate of shoplifting (0.2 per 1,000 residents) and drugs-related crime (0.2 per 1,000 residents) further illustrate the area's distinct profile compared to larger urban centres. This balance between property and violent crime, coupled with the seasonal spikes in specific categories, suggests that Ottery St Mary's crime dynamics are closely tied to its unique socio-economic and geographical context.

July 2024 saw a stark surge in other theft, rising by 700% from one incident in June to eight in July, a shift that may reflect seasonal opportunities linked to tourism and festival activity. This category's rate of 1.3 per 1,000 residents placed it 120% above the UK average, an anomaly that contrasts with the area's overall safety profile. Meanwhile, violent crime remained the second-highest category, accounting for 31.4% of total incidents.8 per 1,000 residents was 37% below the UK average. Anti-social behaviour decreased by 28.6% compared to June, possibly due to increased community engagement during the summer months. The property-crime-to-violent-crime balance in July tilted slightly towards property offences, with 13 property crimes versus 11 violent crimes, a dynamic that may indicate a greater focus on securing assets in the context of heightened foot traffic from tourists.

Ottery St Mary's crime rate in July 2024 rose by 45.8% compared to the previous month, reflecting a shift in local activity patterns. The monthly exposure figure shows that over the course of July, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 174 residents, a metric that contextualises the scale of incidents within the built-up area's population of 6,077. This rate, while lower than the UK average, underscores the relative safety of the area, particularly when compared to the national average of 8.4 per 1,000 residents. Daily crime data reveals an average of one reported crime per day, a figure that aligns with the area's seasonal dynamics. The increase in crime rate may partly explain the surge in specific categories, such as other theft, though the overall rate remains significantly below national levels. This contrast highlights the unique characteristics of Ottery St Mary, where tourism and local events may influence crime patterns differently than in larger urban centres.