Billingshurst Crime Rate September 2024 | Monthly Statistics

The crime profile in Billingshurst during September 2024 reveals a distinct balance between violent and property-related offences, with neither category dominating the overall picture. At 3.5 crimes per 1,000 residents, the area's crime rate is 54.5% below the UK average of 7.7 per 1,000, reflecting a consistently safer environment compared to national trends. Violence and sexual offences, public order, and anti-social behaviour each accounted for roughly a quarter of all reported crimes, suggesting a focus on interpersonal and community-level issues. This distribution is consistent with the area's character as a low-density built-up area within Horsham, where community interactions and localised disputes may contribute to such patterns. Seasonal factors in September—such as the return of students to universities and the start of the academic term—could influence the rise in public order offences, as younger populations often congregate in social spaces. However, the overall stability in crime rates compared to previous months indicates that these factors have not led to a significant spike in criminal activity. The relatively low levels of property crime, including shoplifting and burglary, further reinforce the area's safety profile, though the 71% reduction in shoplifting compared to the UK average may reflect the limited retail presence in Billingshurst. This balance of crime types suggests a community where local policing and social cohesion may play a role in maintaining lower crime rates, though the seasonal context of September—marked by the transition to shorter evenings and back-to-school routines—likely shapes the nature of reported incidents.

September 2024 saw notable fluctuations in specific crime categories, with public order offences surging by 80% compared to August, driven by a rise from five to nine incidents. This increase aligns with the seasonal context of September, a time when universities and schools begin their academic terms, potentially leading to more social gatherings and associated disruptions. Other crime and burglary each rose by 50%, though these categories remain below the UK average for burglary (3% below) and significantly below for other crime (76% below). Conversely, shoplifting fell by 60%, reflecting a sharp decline from five to two incidents, which may indicate the impact of heightened police presence or seasonal retail activity patterns. The data also reveals that violence and sexual offences remain 69% below the UK average at 0.8 per 1,000 residents, suggesting that local interventions or community dynamics may be effective in reducing such crimes. For residents, the 80% rise in public order offences is a key insight, as it may signal the need for targeted community engagement during the academic year. These shifts in crime mix highlight the dynamic nature of local crime patterns, influenced by both seasonal rhythms and the area's unique socio-economic makeup.

Billingshurst's crime rate in September 2024 (3.5 per 1,000 residents) represents a 26.5% decrease from the previous month's rate of 4.8 per 1,000, underscoring a downward trend in overall criminal activity. This reduction, when contextualised over the course of the month, means that one reported crime occurred for roughly every 286 residents—a figure that provides a tangible sense of the scale of crime in this community. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately one crime per day, a rate that remains significantly lower than the UK average when scaled to local population numbers. The monthly exposure metric—1-in-286 residents—illustrates that the likelihood of being directly affected by crime is relatively low, particularly when compared to areas with higher population densities or more concentrated urban environments. This lower frequency of crime, combined with the area's position as a built-up district within Horsham, suggests that local factors such as community policing, limited commercial activity, and a more dispersed residential layout may contribute to the reduced risk. The comparison to the UK average also highlights the area's distinctiveness: while public order offences are 43% above the national average, other categories like violence and sexual offences are markedly lower. This contrast reinforces the importance of understanding local contexts when interpreting crime statistics, as national averages may not fully capture the nuances of smaller, more cohesive communities.