Ruardean Woodside Crime Rate

Crime statistics for Ruardean Woodside, Forest of Dean, reveal a crime rate of 21.6 per 1,000 residents over the period of Jan 2025 to Dec 2025. This figure is significantly lower than the UK average of 91.6 per 1,000, suggesting Ruardean Woodside is comparatively safer. However, it’s important to consider the area’s population of 1807, which means even a relatively small number of incidents can impact the overall rate. The recent trend shows a welcome decrease of -37.1% year-on-year, indicating positive progress in maintaining safety within the community. Understanding the types of crimes occurring and their patterns is key to ensuring continued improvements.

The crime landscape in Ruardean Woodside is primarily characterised by issues related to anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences, and criminal damage and arson. Anti-social behaviour accounts for the largest proportion of recorded crimes, representing 43.6% of all incidents. These incidents likely stem from the area's close-knit community and occasional tensions arising from limited recreational facilities. Violence and sexual offences make up a significant 30.8% of recorded crimes, highlighting a need for ongoing community safety initiatives and support services. Criminal damage and arson, while less frequent, remain a concern, contributing 7.7% to the overall crime statistics. Property crime, specifically burglary, constitutes only 5.1% of recorded incidents, indicating a relatively low risk in this regard, while vehicle crime mirrors this at 5.1%. The relatively low rates of burglary and vehicle crime may be attributable to the area's generally quiet and rural nature, but vigilance remains crucial.

The decrease in crime rates in Ruardean Woodside, representing a -37.1% year-on-year reduction, is a positive development. This trend is reflected in the monthly data, with notably low crime rates observed in April (0.6 per 1,000/month), May (1.7 per 1,000/month), and August (1.7 per 1,000/month). While rates fluctuate, particularly in March (3.9 per 1,000/month) and June (2.2 per 1,000/month), the overall downward trajectory suggests the effectiveness of ongoing crime prevention strategies and community engagement. Sustaining this momentum requires continued focus and proactive measures.

How To Keep Safe in Ruardean Woodside

Given that anti-social behaviour is the most prevalent crime in Ruardean Woodside, being mindful of your surroundings and reporting suspicious activity to the authorities is crucial. Consider joining or supporting local neighbourhood watch schemes to foster a sense of community vigilance. Due to the prevalence of violence and sexual offences, it’s important to be aware of personal safety strategies, particularly when out alone at night. Finally, given incidents of criminal damage and arson, securing your property and valuables, and reporting any suspicious behaviour, can help deter potential offenders. Remember to keep valuables out of sight and consider reinforcing vulnerable entry points.

Crimes in Ruardean Woodside exhibit a varied pattern throughout the day. Burglaries show a slight concentration in the afternoon (36%) and evening (26%). Violence and sexual offences are most common in the evening (0%) and night (0%). Theft is slightly elevated during morning hours (22%) and afternoon (25%). Vehicle crime demonstrates a concerning peak during the night (42%), while other crimes are most frequent during the afternoon (31%) and evening (47%). These patterns suggest that heightened vigilance during evening and nighttime hours is particularly important.

Comparing Ruardean Woodside to neighbouring areas reveals significant variations in crime rates. Ruardean itself has a considerably higher rate of 54.1 per 1,000, while Drybrook registers a markedly higher rate of 100.7 per 1,000. Welsh Bicknor shows a rate of 36.7 per 1,000, and Mitcheldean registers 78.5 per 1,000. This highlights that while Ruardean Woodside is safer than many of its immediate neighbours, ongoing efforts to maintain its relatively low crime rate are vital.

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