Ottery St Mary Crime Rate November 2024 | Monthly Statistics

For every 1,000 residents in Ottery St Mary, four crimes were reported in November 2024, a rate that remains 47.4% below the UK average of 7.6 per 1,000. This per-capita perspective offers a tangible measure of risk: a resident faces a 0.4% chance of experiencing a crime in a given year, assuming the rate remains consistent. The most common crime type was violence and sexual offences, accounting for 54.2% of all incidents. This contrasts with the UK average for the same category, where violence and sexual offences make up 2.6 per 1,000 residents. The lower prevalence of violent crime in Ottery St Mary may reflect the area’s character as a small built-up area within East Devon, where community cohesion and limited nightlife could contribute to reduced incidents of serious violence. Seasonal factors such as Bonfire Night and Black Friday shopping may have influenced the crime profile, with darker evenings increasing opportunities for anti-social behaviour. However, the sharp rise in criminal damage and arson—up 200% from the previous month—suggests a specific event or period in November, linked to the timing of Bonfire Night. Despite this, the overall crime rate remains far below the UK average, illustrating the area’s relatively low exposure to crime compared to larger urban centres. The absence of property crimes such as shoplifting, which sit 71% below the UK average, further underscores the unique profile of Ottery St Mary, where local retail areas may benefit from lower foot traffic or stronger community vigilance.

November saw a 200% increase in criminal damage and arson, rising from one to three incidents. Public order and drugs offences both doubled from zero to one reported case, while anti-social behaviour fell by 40%, from five to three. Violence and sexual offences remained the most common crime type, contributing 54.2% of total incidents and sitting 19% below the UK average for this category. This contrast with the UK average highlights the area’s lower prevalence of violent crime, despite the month-on-month rise in some categories. A resident would find the 4.0 per 1,000 crime rate useful for understanding relative safety: for every 1,000 people in Ottery St Mary, four crimes were reported in November. The sharp increase in criminal damage may be linked to Bonfire Night, while the absence of property crimes (such as shoplifting) suggests that local retail areas remain relatively secure compared to the UK average.

In November 2024, Ottery St Mary’s crime rate rose by 33.4% compared to the previous month, moving from 3.0 to 4.0 per 1,000 residents. This increase, while notable, remains 47.4% below the UK average of 7.6 per 1,000. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately one crime per day in November, a figure that contextualises risk in everyday terms for local residents. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 253 residents, illustrating the low frequency of incidents relative to the population. With a total population of 6,077, this suggests that the vast majority of residents are unaffected by crime on a monthly basis. The rise in reported crimes may reflect seasonal factors such as darker evenings and increased foot traffic around Bonfire Night, though these patterns are consistent with the area’s character as a small built-up area within East Devon. The population-scaled perspective reinforces that Ottery St Mary remains significantly safer than the UK average, despite the month-on-month increase.