St Ives Crime Rate March 2024 | Monthly Statistics

St Ives (Huntingdonshire) recorded a crime rate of 5.6 per 1,000 in March 2024, placing it 27.3% below the UK average of 7.7 per 1,000. This position, while generally positive, masks a complex picture of crime types and their local drivers. Violence and sexual offences dominated the monthly tally, accounting for 23.4% of all incidents (22 cases), though this category was 51% below the UK average. Anti-social behaviour followed closely, making up 14.9% of reported crimes, and public order offences contributed 9.6%. The area’s lower crime rate may be influenced by its status as a built-up area within a rural district, where lower population density and community ties could temper criminal activity. Seasonal factors also appear relevant: as March transitions to spring, longer evenings may contribute to increased anti-social behaviour and public order incidents. However, the sharp rise in bicycle theft—up 250% from February—suggests a different dynamic, linked to cycling trends or unsecured bike storage. This anomaly highlights the need for targeted measures, even as the area maintains a safer profile overall compared to the UK average.

March 2024 saw a 250% increase in shoplifting, rising from one to seven incidents, and a similarly steep 250% rise in bicycle theft and 'other crime' categories. These jumps, though small in absolute terms, underscore a shift in criminal activity patterns. Violence and sexual offences, the most common crime type, fell by 18.5% compared to February, potentially linked to seasonal transitions or local initiatives. Bicycle theft, at 0.4 per 1,000, was 471% above the UK average of 0.1 per 1,000—a stark outlier that may reflect increased cycling activity during spring or unsecured bike storage in residential areas. This category's anomaly contrasts with other types like anti-social behaviour, which remained 31% below the UK average, suggesting a combination of local demographics and crime dynamics.

St Ives' crime rate in March 2024 rose by 25.3% compared to February's 4.4 per 1,000, reflecting a 1.2-point increase to 5.6 per 1,000. This upward trend, though modest, contrasts with the area's overall position 27.3% below the UK average of 7.7 per 1,000. Locally, the monthly exposure figure shows one crime reported for every 180 residents over the course of March, a metric that contextualises the scale of incidents relative to the population. Daily crime counts averaged three incidents per day, a figure that highlights the pace of reported activity but does not indicate intensity. When compared to the UK, St Ives' lower overall rate suggests a combination of local factors such as community cohesion, lower population density, or effective policing strategies. However, the sharp rise in certain categories—most bicycle theft—complicates this picture, indicating that while the area is generally safer, specific vulnerabilities may require targeted attention.