Felixstowe Crime Rate September 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominated Felixstowe's crime profile in September 2023, accounting for 47.8% of all reported crimes. At 77 incidents, this category was 17% above the UK average of 2.7 per 1,000, a striking anomaly against the area's overall crime rate of 6.6 per 1,000—17.5% below the UK's 8.0 per 1,000. This contrast highlights a unique pattern where violent crime rates exceed national norms despite the built-up area's generally lower overall crime profile. The second most common offence, anti-social behaviour (19 incidents), was 40% below the UK average, reflecting a notable local trend. Public order offences (18) and other theft (17) followed, both 13-17% above the UK average. These figures suggest a combination of local factors and broader national trends. Seasonal context in September—coinciding with back-to-school routines and the transition to shorter evenings—may influence crime patterns. The area's relatively low property crime rate (36 incidents, 22.4% of total) compared to the UK average further underscores its distinct profile. While violent crime remains a concern, the overall crime rate remains below national levels, indicating a mixed picture that requires careful interpretation.

September 2023 saw dramatic shifts in specific crime categories, with shoplifting surging 500% from 1 to 6 incidents—a stark outlier in an otherwise stable month. This jump, though small in absolute terms, may reflect seasonal factors such as increased foot traffic during the start of the academic year. Burglary also rose 100% (1 to 2 incidents), and other crime doubled (0 to 2), though these remain below the UK average. Conversely, anti-social behaviour fell 47.2% (36 to 19 incidents), possibly linked to reduced summer activity or targeted interventions. The violence and sexual offences category, already 17% above the UK average, remained the dominant threat, suggesting a persistent challenge in this area. Shoplifting's surge to 6 incidents (0.3 per 1,000) was 46% below the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000, illustrating how local patterns can diverge from national trends. Residents may find the 17.5% below UK average overall rate reassuring, though the concentration of violent crime remains a critical focus for local authorities.

Felixstowe's September 2023 crime rate of 6.6 per 1,000 marked a 9.5% increase from the previous month's 6.0 per 1,000, reflecting a slight upward trend. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 5 crimes per day over the 30-day period, a figure that, while locally relevant, cannot be directly compared to national averages due to the absence of UK-wide daily data. When scaled to the population of 24,417, this translated to one reported crime for roughly every 152 residents over the course of the month—a monthly exposure rate that is lower than many urban centres. This statistic, however, does not capture the uneven distribution of crime types: while violent crime rates exceed national norms, property crime remains well below average. The population-scaled perspective reveals that the majority of residents are unlikely to be directly affected by crime, though the concentration of violent offences suggests targeted risks in specific areas. These figures position Felixstowe as a mixed case study, where overall safety aligns with rural or semi-rural profiles but violent crime patterns challenge that assumption. The 9.5% month-on-month increase, though modest, warrants attention to whether it signals a seasonal fluctuation or a deeper trend.