Great Harwood Crime Rate September 2023 | Monthly Statistics

September 2023 marked a slight elevation in Great Harwood's overall crime rate, standing at 8.1 per 1,000 residents—1.2% above the UK average of 8.0. This built-up area within Hyndburn, typically characterised by a mix of residential and commercial zones, saw violence and sexual offences dominate the crime profile, accounting for 41.6% of all reported incidents. Anti-social behaviour followed closely at 22.5%, reflecting patterns often seen in small urban centres where community tensions can escalate during seasonal transitions. The month's crime profile aligns with the back-to-school period and the start of university freshers' week, which may contribute to increased public order issues and substance-related activity. The rate of criminal damage and arson matched the UK average, suggesting no significant divergence in this category. While property crimes constituted 24.7% of the total (22 incidents), the proportion of violent crimes remained markedly higher than the UK average, where violent offences account for 24% of all crime. This disparity may be influenced by local factors such as the area's proximity to educational institutions and the dynamics of its community. The seasonal context of September—nights drawing in and school schedules resuming—likely plays a role in the observed patterns. Overall, the crime picture for Great Harwood in September 2023 reflects a combination of local demographics and broader seasonal rhythms, with no single factor dominating the narrative.

The most dramatic month-on-month shift in September 2023 was the 150% increase in drugs-related offences, which rose from 2 to 5 incidents. This surge, occurring alongside a 100% rise in shoplifting and bicycle theft, highlights a potential uptick in illicit activity linked to the return of students and the pressures of freshers' week. Anti-social behaviour, however, saw a notable 45.9% decrease, dropping from 37 to 20 incidents—a reduction that may reflect the effectiveness of local policing efforts or the seasonal dispersal of transient populations. Violence and sexual offences remained the most significant category, with a rate of 3.4 per 1,000 (41.6% share), 24% above the UK average, suggesting that the area's social fabric continues to face challenges in managing interpersonal conflicts. Conversely, vehicle crime fell 38% below the UK average, a trend consistent with the relatively low density of car parks and commercial zones in Great Harwood compared to larger urban centres. For residents, the sharp rise in drugs-related offences may raise concerns about local safety, though this category remains relatively low in absolute terms. The interplay between seasonal factors and local dynamics will be critical in understanding these shifts over the coming months.

Great Harwood's crime rate in September 2023 fell by 10.2% compared to the previous month, declining from 9.0 to 8.1 per 1,000 residents. This monthly reduction, though modest, suggests some stabilisation in the area's crime profile following the summer period. On a daily basis, the town experienced approximately 3 crimes per day in September—a figure that, while not alarming, underscores the need for continued vigilance. When contextualised by population, the monthly exposure rate of 1 crime per 123 residents provides a tangible measure of risk for local households. This figure is consistent with the area's classification as a built-up district, where crime rates are generally higher than in rural settings but lower than in major cities. The comparison to the UK average reveals that while Great Harwood's overall rate is slightly elevated, the disparity is minimal, indicating that local factors are not driving an extreme deviation from national trends. The population-scaled perspective further illustrates that the crime burden is distributed across the community rather than concentrated in specific neighbourhoods. As such, the data suggests a balanced but slightly above-average crime environment, with the potential for further improvements if targeted interventions address the most volatile categories, such as drugs-related offences.