Eastbourne Crime Rate February 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Eastbourne's February 2025 crime profile reveals a pronounced imbalance between property and violent crime, with property crimes (414 incidents) outnumbering violent crimes (304) by a significant margin. This disparity, which contrasts with the UK average where violent crime typically dominates, may be partly explained by the town's coastal character and the concentration of retail and tourism-related activity. The overall crime rate of 9.3 per 1,000 residents places Eastbourne 38.8% above the UK average of 6.7 per 1,000, a figure that underscores the area's unique challenges. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 31.2% of total crimes, with a rate of 2.9 per 1,000—23% above the UK average. However, the most striking deviation was in shoplifting, which occurred at 2.1 per 1,000, 239% above the UK average. This reflects the town's reliance on high-street retail and its appeal to transient visitors. Anti-social behaviour (1.2 per 1,000) and criminal damage (0.8 per 1,000) also exceeded UK rates, suggesting that densely populated areas or venues with high youth engagement may contribute to these trends. Seasonal context in February—a winter month with low outdoor activity and a pre-spring lull—may have dampened some crime types while amplifying others, particularly those tied to indoor spaces or service sectors.

The month-on-month changes in February 2025 revealed stark shifts in crime patterns. Theft from the person surged by 80%, rising from five to nine incidents, a figure that may reflect seasonal factors such as the pre-spring lull or increased foot traffic during weekend events. Concurrently, shoplifting increased by 19.8%, with 218 reported cases, a rate 239% above the UK average. This spike aligns with Eastbourne's status as a tourist destination, where retail outlets may experience heightened vulnerability during off-peak winter months. Conversely, bicycle theft plummeted by 66.7%, dropping from nine to three, linked to reduced outdoor activity in February's colder climate. Burglary also decreased by 50%, from 46 to 23 cases, which could indicate the effectiveness of recent security measures in residential areas. These fluctuations highlight the dynamic interplay between seasonal trends and local crime dynamics, offering residents a concrete data point to consider when assessing personal safety.

Eastbourne's crime rate in February 2025 stood at 9.3 per 1,000 residents, a 5.8% decrease from the previous month's rate of 9.9 per 1,000. This slight decline contrasts with the area's overall position above the UK average, which remains a persistent feature. On a daily basis, the local figure of 35 crimes per day highlights the density of incidents in a relatively compact district. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 107 residents, a figure that underscores the frequency of incidents in a community of over 100,000. While this monthly exposure rate does not directly compare to UK-wide statistics, it situates Eastbourne within a broader context of urban centres where high foot traffic and tourism contribute to elevated crime visibility. The population-scaled perspective reveals that residents face a higher risk of encountering crime than the UK average, a factor that may influence local policing strategies and community awareness initiatives.