Forest of Dean Crime Rate February 2024 | Monthly Statistics

For every 1,000 residents in Forest of Dean, 5.5 crimes were reported in February 2024 — 22.5% below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000. This translates to one reported crime occurring for roughly every 181 residents over the course of the month, a figure that contextualises risk in everyday terms. The most common crime type was violence and sexual offences (43.6% of total), followed by anti-social behaviour (16.5%) and shoplifting (8.9%). These figures align with the area's seasonal rhythm: February, a winter month with low outdoor activity, saw fewer property crimes but higher rates of violent incidents, likely linked to increased indoor gatherings. The overall crime rate remains lower than the UK average, consistent with Forest of Dean's character as a mixed rural-urban district with limited nightlife and fewer high-density residential areas. While violence and sexual offences remained the dominant category, their rate (2.4 per 1,000) was 4% below the UK average, suggesting local factors such as community cohesion or effective policing may contribute to this trend. Anti-social behaviour also showed a marked deficit compared to the UK, potentially reflecting the area's quieter, more dispersed population. These patterns illustrate how geographical and social characteristics shape crime profiles, even within a broader national context.

February 2024 saw dramatic shifts in specific crime categories, with shoplifting surging by 193.3% (15 to 44 incidents), marking a stark departure from January's figures. This increase, though unexplained by the data, may reflect seasonal retail patterns or targeted activity around post-holiday sales. Concurrently, vehicle crime rose by 40% (10 to 14), possibly linked to colder weather driving more indoor activity and leaving vehicles unattended. Criminal damage and arson also increased by 33.3% (27 to 36). On the decline side, burglary fell sharply by 46.2% (26 to 14), a drop consistent with the area's low outdoor activity in winter months. Drugs-related crimes decreased by 40% (10 to 6), influenced by reduced social gatherings. Public order offences, which account for 7.1% of total crimes, dropped by 35.2% (54 to 35), due to shorter evenings and fewer public events. The rate of other crime (2.8%) was 43% above the UK average, an anomaly that could reflect underreporting or specific local factors not captured in the data. These fluctuations highlight the dynamic nature of crime patterns, even in areas with generally stable rates.

The crime rate in February 2024 (5.5 per 1,000) remained stable compared to January's 5.4 per 1,000, indicating no significant month-on-month change. Daily crime counts averaged 17 incidents per day, a figure that, while seemingly high, must be contextualised within Forest of Dean's population of 89,753. Over the course of the month, this translates to one reported crime occurring for roughly every 181 residents — a monthly exposure rate that is lower than the UK average. The population-scaled perspective reveals that residents face a lower risk of victimisation compared to the national average, particularly in categories such as burglary (2.8% vs UK's 0.3%) and vehicle crime (2.8% vs UK's 0.4%). However, the rate of 'other crime' (2.8%) being 43% above the UK average suggests potential gaps in reporting or policing focus. These comparisons underscore how Forest of Dean's unique demographic and geographic profile — likely characterised by dispersed communities and limited urban density — contributes to its distinct crime profile, even as it remains broadly safer than the UK as a whole.