Beccles Crime Rate May 2025 | Monthly Statistics

For every 1,000 residents in Beccles, 6 crimes were reported in May 2025—a rate that places the area 25.9% below the UK average of 8.1 per 1,000. This lower-than-average figure, while consistent with the town’s character as a relatively quiet built-up area in East Suffolk, reveals a combination of crime types. Violence and sexual offences (25 incidents, 41% of total) and shoplifting (12 incidents, 19.7%) dominated the monthly tally, with the former 12% below the UK average and the latter 79% above. The seasonal context of May—longer evenings, bank holidays, and increased outdoor socialising—likely contributes to the rise in public order offences (up 33.3%) and shoplifting, which may reflect heightened foot traffic in retail zones. Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour (8 incidents, 44% below the UK average) and burglary (1 incident, 64% below the UK average) remained subdued, suggesting that community cohesion and local policing efforts may temper more disruptive crime types. These patterns align with Beccles’ status as a smaller, less densely populated area where crime tends to cluster in specific high-traffic locations rather than spreading widely across residential zones.

May 2025 saw a notable 71.4% increase in shoplifting, with 12 incidents reported compared to 7 in April. This jump, paired with a 38.9% rise in violence and sexual offences, suggests a shift in crime patterns linked to May’s longer evenings and increased social activity. While shoplifting rates in Beccles are 79% above the UK average, other categories like anti-social behaviour and public order offences remain significantly below national levels. The sharp decline in burglary (-66.7%) and vehicle crime (-50.0%) may reflect seasonal factors or targeted policing efforts. For residents, the 1.2 per 1,000 rate of shoplifting—though elevated locally—still compares to a UK average of 0.7, indicating a need for vigilance in retail areas during peak hours.

In May 2025, Beccles recorded a crime rate of 6.0 per 1,000 residents, a 6.9% increase from the previous month’s rate of 5.7. This rise, though modest, contrasts with the area’s continued position well below the UK average. On a daily basis, the local figure of 2 crimes per day offers a tangible snapshot of risk for residents: over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 165 residents, a statistic that contextualises the scale of incidents in a way that aligns with the town’s population of 10,095. While the overall rate remains 25.9% lower than the UK average, the shift in crime mix—particularly the rise in shoplifting and violence—highlights how local dynamics can diverge from national trends. These figures suggest that while Beccles remains a relatively safe place compared to the UK as a whole, seasonal factors and specific local patterns may influence perceived safety in the short term.