Horsham Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Horsham's crime profile in January 2024 reveals a distinct balance between violent and property crimes, with violence and sexual offences dominating at 38.4% of total incidents. This contrasts with the UK average, where such crimes account for 35% of the national total. The local crime rate of 4.4 per 1,000 residents places Horsham 40.5% below the UK average of 7.4, a significant divergence that reflects broader regional differences in policing and community dynamics. Property crimes, including shoplifting and vehicle crime, accounted for 34.3% of all reported incidents, a proportion consistent with Horsham's mix of retail centres and suburban residential areas. The seasonal context of January—a post-holiday period with shorter days and reduced footfall in commercial districts—likely contributes to the lower volume of outdoor crimes typically associated with summer months. Anti-social behaviour and criminal damage were both below UK averages, suggesting effective local initiatives or environmental factors that deter such incidents. The relatively low rates of burglary and theft from the person (each below 0.3 per 1,000) indicate a community with strong residential security measures or lower exposure to high-risk areas. However, the prominence of violence and sexual offences raises questions about local social dynamics, though can be inferred from the data alone. This crime mix suggests a town where community safety efforts may focus more on interpersonal crime prevention than property crime mitigation, aligning with Horsham's character as a commuter town with a mix of historic and modern infrastructure.

January 2024 saw an 18.7% increase in violence and sexual offences, rising from 214 to 254 incidents. This marked shift suggests heightened tensions or changes in policing priorities. Concurrently, drug-related crimes surged by 80%, with reported cases jumping from 10 to 18—a significant rise that could reflect seasonal fluctuations in illicit activity or increased detection efforts. Possession of weapons also rose sharply, with incidents increasing by 125% (4 to 9), a figure that may indicate targeted operations or a small but growing issue in specific areas. On the other hand, theft from the person fell by 66.7% (6 to 2), bicycle theft dropped by 60% (5 to 2), and robbery decreased by 60% (5 to 2). These declines may be linked to post-holiday reductions in public spaces or improved security measures in high-risk locations. The crime mix also reveals that shoplifting (12.5% of all crimes) was 5% above the UK average, a slight anomaly that could be attributed to Horsham's retail sector, which includes high-street stores and independent shops. Meanwhile, vehicle crime (9.5% of total incidents) remained 20% below the UK average, due to lower traffic density or effective local anti-theft measures. These shifts underscore the complexity of crime trends, where some categories rise while others fall in response to seasonal, economic, or enforcement factors.

Horsham's crime rate in January 2024 remained stable compared to the previous month, with a 0.9% increase from 4.3 to 4.4 per 1,000 residents. This consistency suggests no major disruptions in local crime patterns over the winter period. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 21 crimes per day—a figure that, while low, reflects the ongoing presence of criminal activity in a populated district. Monthly exposure to crime translates to one reported incident for roughly every 229 residents, a ratio that places Horsham in the lower quartile of UK local authority districts. With a population of 151,521, the community's crime rate is lower than the UK average, a disparity that may be attributed to Horsham's relatively affluent demographics, strong local policing, or the absence of major urban crime hotspots. The daily crime count, while seemingly high for a single day, is spread across the month and does not indicate acute spikes in violence or disorder. The population-scaled perspective further highlights Horsham's safety profile: residents are less likely to encounter crime than the national average. share of violent crimes suggests targeted efforts may be needed to address interpersonal crime. These comparisons contextualise Horsham's performance, showing it as a safer area compared to many UK towns, but with specific challenges in reducing violence and sexual offences.