Godmanchester Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences accounted for 30.8% of reported crimes in Godmanchester during January 2024, making this category the dominant driver of crime in the built-up area. With an overall crime rate of 4.2 per 1,000 residents, the area recorded a 43.2% reduction compared to the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000. This stark contrast reflects broader patterns in smaller towns where community cohesion and local policing may contribute to lower rates. The breakdown shows that property crimes (19 incidents) and violent crimes (12 incidents) together comprised 75.4% of all reported offences, with property crimes slightly outnumbering violent crimes for the first time this year. Seasonal factors likely played a role in shaping these figures: January’s post-holiday period, shorter daylight hours, and reduced retail footfall may have contributed to the lower-than-expected levels of shoplifting and public order offences. However, the persistent presence of violence and sexual offences—despite a 20% month-on-month decline—suggests ongoing challenges in managing interpersonal conflicts within the community. This category’s rate of 1.3 per 1,000 residents is 50% below the UK average, but its share of total crimes remains high, indicating a need for targeted interventions in areas where such incidents are concentrated. The low levels of anti-social behaviour (12.8% of total crimes) and criminal damage (7.7% of total crimes) further support the idea that Godmanchester’s crime profile is distinct from larger urban centres, where public order issues often dominate.

January 2024 saw a 200% surge in vehicle crime, rising from 2 to 6 incidents—a stark contrast to the 50% drop in bicycle theft, which fell from 2 to 1. This shift may reflect seasonal patterns, with winter conditions potentially increasing vehicle-related crimes while reduced cycling activity lowers bicycle theft rates. Violence and sexual offences, though still the most common category, decreased by 20% compared to December, aligning with the post-holiday lull in alcohol-fuelled incidents. Vehicle crime in Godmanchester is 40% above the UK average of 0.5 per 1,000, suggesting local factors such as parking density or road infrastructure could be contributing. Conversely, shoplifting—a typically high-impact category in retail areas—rose by 100% to one incident, though this remains 82% below the UK average. This anomaly might be attributed to specific retail vulnerabilities or isolated incidents rather than systemic trends. The area’s performance on burglary (10.3% of total crimes) is 11% above the UK average, indicating a need for targeted measures in residential zones. These figures highlight the combination of local geography and crime patterns, with property crimes dominating despite the overall rate remaining significantly lower than national benchmarks.

Godmanchester’s crime rate of 4.2 per 1,000 residents in January 2024 marked a 9.2% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.7, reflecting a continued downward trend. This reduction is particularly notable when considering that the area experiences roughly one reported crime per day—equivalent to a 1-in-237 resident exposure rate over the course of the month. While this daily frequency is relatively low, it contrasts with the UK average, where residents face a significantly higher risk. The population context further underscores this disparity: with 9,228 residents, Godmanchester’s low crime volume suggests effective community policing or strong social cohesion. However, the area’s performance on specific categories, such as vehicle crime (0.7 per 1,000) and burglary (0.4 per 1,000), indicates pockets of vulnerability. These figures must be interpreted cautiously, as they represent absolute numbers rather than proportional risks. For residents, the monthly exposure metric provides a tangible benchmark: the likelihood of encountering a crime is far lower than in larger urban areas. This comparative advantage may be attributed to Godmanchester’s built-up area status, which balances urban infrastructure with smaller-town characteristics that often correlate with lower crime rates. The contrast between its below-average violent crime rates and slightly above-average property crime rates further illustrates the nuanced nature of local security challenges.