Ottery St Mary Crime Rate January 2025 | Monthly Statistics

January 2025 saw an unexpected surge in violence and sexual offences in Ottery St Mary, a built-up area within East Devon, marking a stark departure from the usual crime profile of this low-crime town. The overall crime rate of 3.0 per 1,000 residents, 57.7% below the UK average, highlights the area’s consistent safety record. However, the doubling of violent crime—rising from five to ten incidents—introduces a new dynamic that contrasts with the typical pattern of property crimes dominating small-town statistics. This shift may be influenced by January’s post-holiday environment, which, despite reduced retail footfall, could have led to increased social interactions in public spaces, contributing to the rise in violent incidents. Anti-social behaviour and criminal damage both declined significantly, with the latter falling by two-thirds, suggesting that seasonal factors such as shorter daylight hours and colder weather may have suppressed outdoor-related crimes. The breakdown of crimes reveals that violence and sexual offences accounted for 55.6% of all incidents, followed by anti-social behaviour (11.1%) and burglary (11.1%). This distribution underscores the area’s unique challenge of balancing low overall crime with a sudden spike in violent incidents, which may warrant community-specific analysis. The UK average for violence and sexual offences is 2.5 per 1,000, and Ottery St Mary’s rate of 1.7 per 1,000 remains below this, indicating that even with the increase, the area’s violent crime levels are still well within safer-than-average territory. These patterns, combined with the seasonal context, suggest that local conditions—such as the town’s compact size and limited commercial density—play a role in shaping crime trends, though further exploration is needed to fully understand the drivers behind the January spike.

The most striking change in January 2025 was the 100% increase in violence and sexual offences, rising from five to ten incidents. This surge contrasts sharply with the 66.7% decline in criminal damage and arson, which fell from three to one, and the 50% reduction in anti-social behaviour, dropping from four to two. These shifts suggest a reallocation of criminal activity, with violent crime becoming a more prominent concern than property-related offences. While the overall crime rate remains 57.7% below the UK average, the category of violence and sexual offences is itself 32% below the UK rate of 2.5 per 1,000, indicating that even within this increase, the area’s violent crime levels remain relatively low. For residents, the 100% rise in violence may prompt closer attention to community safety measures, particularly in public spaces. Meanwhile, the drop in anti-social behaviour could reflect the impact of seasonal factors, such as reduced social gatherings during January’s colder, shorter days.

Ottery St Mary’s crime rate in January 2025 fell to 3.0 per 1,000 residents, an 18.2% drop from the previous month’s rate of 3.6. This decline aligns with the seasonal context of January, a post-holiday period marked by reduced retail activity and shorter daylight hours, which may contribute to lower outdoor crime. On a daily basis, the area recorded roughly one crime per day over the 31-day period, reflecting a low but consistent level of activity. When scaled to the population, the monthly exposure means that one reported crime occurred for every 338 residents—a figure that underscores the area’s relatively safe profile compared to the UK average. While the UK does not provide daily crime figures for comparison, the local context suggests that the community’s characteristics—such as its small-town environment and limited commercial density—play a role in sustaining this low level of crime. These metrics offer residents a clear snapshot of their monthly risk, reinforcing the area’s position as a safer-than-average location within East Devon.