Billingshurst Crime Rate July 2024 | Monthly Statistics

July 2024 marked a 19.7% increase in Billingshurst’s overall crime rate compared to June, rising to 5.5 crimes per 1,000 residents. This figure remains 34.5% below the UK average of 8.4 per 1,000, highlighting the area’s continued position as a relatively safe built-up community within Horsham. The crime profile shows a distinct seasonal pattern, with anti-social behaviour (17 incidents) and violence and sexual offences (16 incidents) dominating the monthly tally. These categories accounted for 54.1% of all reported crimes, reflecting the influence of summer activities and the area’s character as a commuter hub with a mix of residential and commercial zones. The surge in anti-social behaviour aligns with peak tourism and festival season, while the relatively low levels of vehicle crime (1 incident) and burglary (1 incident) suggest effective community policing or limited opportunities for such crimes in this low-density urban setting. The drop in violence and sexual offences—down 40.7% from June—may partly explain the overall rate’s upward trend, though this category still remains 51% below the UK average, a consistent feature of Billingshurst’s crime profile. Seasonal factors, including schools being out and increased foot traffic during festivals, likely contribute to the rise in public order offences, which now constitute 16.4% of all crimes, significantly above the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000. The area’s small size and close-knit nature may also amplify the visibility of such incidents, though the overall crime rate remains firmly in the lower quartile nationally.

July 2024 saw a dramatic 400% increase in public order offences, rising from 2 to 10 incidents—a sharp spike that may reflect the impact of summer festivals and extended foot traffic in the town’s public spaces. Concurrently, criminal damage and arson jumped by 250%, from 2 to 7 cases, suggesting a possible link to seasonal events or unattended properties during the holiday period. These increases contrast with a 40.7% decline in violence and sexual offences, which fell from 27 to 16 incidents—a reduction that may be attributed to the summer school holidays reducing opportunities for such crimes. Anti-social behaviour, though remaining the most common category, edged slightly above the UK average by 3%, a small but notable divergence that could indicate localised pressures during peak tourist season. Meanwhile, shoplifting and other theft categories remained significantly below UK averages, with shoplifting at 0.5 per 1,000 (26% below the national rate) and other theft at 0.3 per 1,000 (49% below). For residents, the most immediate concern is the rapid rise in public order issues, which now account for nearly a fifth of all reported crimes and are the most significant upward trend of the month.

Billingshurst’s crime rate in July 2024 (5.5 per 1,000 residents) represents an increase from June’s 4.6 per 1,000, though it still lags well behind the UK average. On a daily basis, the area recorded roughly 2 crimes per day in July, a figure that translates to one reported crime occurring for every 183 residents over the course of the month. This monthly exposure rate places the area in a category where residents are less likely to experience crime than the national average, even as the absolute number of incidents rises. The population-scaled perspective shows that Billingshurst’s relatively low crime rate is maintained despite the sharp increase in public order offences, which may be influenced by the town’s seasonal dynamics rather than a systemic issue. The 34.5% gap between Billingshurst’s rate and the UK average underscores the effectiveness of local policing strategies in maintaining safety, particularly in categories like burglary and vehicle crime, which are 68% and 78% below national levels respectively. While the upward trend in July is notable, the area’s overall position remains firmly within the safer end of the UK spectrum, suggesting that the increase is more reflective of temporary seasonal factors than a long-term shift in crime patterns.