Accrington Crime Rate April 2024 | Monthly Statistics

April 2024 marked a complex picture for crime in Accrington, with a total crime rate of 13.3 per 1,000 residents—72.7% above the UK average. This built-up area within Hyndburn continues to face elevated rates of violent and property crimes, with violence and sexual offences (166 incidents) and anti-social behaviour (148 incidents) dominating the monthly tally. These two categories alone account for 65.1% of all reported crimes, reflecting patterns consistent with urban centres where public spaces and social interactions drive such offences. The seasonal context of April—Easter and early spring—may have influenced these trends, as increased outdoor activity and holiday-related movement could contribute to higher levels of violence and disorder. Shoplifting (42 incidents) and public order offences (25 incidents) also feature prominently, with both categories exceeding UK averages by significant margins. Vehicle crime and burglary remain below the UK average, with vehicle crime at 0.4 per 1,000 (15% below the UK rate) and burglary at 0.3 per 1,000 (6% below). This divergence suggests that while certain aspects of crime in Accrington align with broader urban patterns, others may be shaped by local factors such as community policing efforts or specific land use characteristics. The area's elevated rates of violence and anti-social behaviour, combined with its lower property crime rates, illustrate a community grappling with social tensions that may be exacerbated by seasonal transitions and demographic pressures.

The most dramatic month-on-month change in April 2024 was the 100% increase in 'other crime', which rose from 4 to 8 incidents. This category, which includes unclassified offences, saw a sharp jump that outpaced other notable shifts, such as the 66.7% rise in robbery. Conversely, burglary fell by 52% (25 to 12) and criminal damage and arson dropped by 46.5% (43 to 23), marking the largest decreases. Violence and sexual offences, which account for 34.4% of all crimes, remain 80% above the UK average (4.6 per 1,000 vs 2.6 per 1,000). Anti-social behaviour, the second most common category, is 236% above the UK average, with 4.1 per 1,000 incidents. These figures suggest a combination of local conditions and broader trends, with property crime rates (1.2 per 1,000) and violent crime rates (4.6 per 1,000) both significantly exceeding national benchmarks. Residents may find the 100% rise in 'other crime' particularly concerning, as it signals a sudden and unexplained increase in unclassified incidents.

April 2024 saw a 7.5% decrease in Accrington's crime rate, dropping from 14.4 to 13.3 per 1,000 residents. This monthly decline contrasts with the area's overall elevated rate, which remains 72.7% above the UK average. On a daily basis, 16 crimes were reported in April, translating to a local exposure rate of one crime for every 75 residents over the month. While this figure is a local aggregate, it underscores the persistent presence of crime in the built-up area. The drop in burglary and criminal damage and arson—by 52% and 46.5% respectively—suggests potential seasonal or situational factors at play, though these decreases are modest against the backdrop of rising categories like other crime. The population-scaled perspective reveals that while the rate is high, it is not uniformly distributed across all crime types, with property crimes and violent offences maintaining disproportionate shares of the total. This uneven distribution may reflect local dynamics, such as the area's retail presence or social activity patterns, which could influence specific crime trends.