Watlington (King's Lynn and West Norfolk) Crime Rate

Watlington (King's Lynn and West Norfolk) Crime Overview

Watlington is a highly secure urban settlement, boasting an impressive safety score of 91/100. The area's overall crime rate is just 34.6 per 1,000 residents, which is significantly lower than the UK national average of 91.6. Data from the period of Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 shows that crime is on a downward trajectory, with a 5.2% decrease compared to the previous year. This profile makes Watlington one of the safer locations within the King's Lynn and West Norfolk district, offering a peaceful environment for its small population. The following analysis explores the specific crime types and time patterns that define this area's safety landscape.

Crime Breakdown in Watlington (King's Lynn and West Norfolk)

Watlington is a high-safety area where the most frequent reports involve violence and sexual offences, making up 46.1% of all incidents. This is followed by criminal damage and arson (19.8%) and anti-social behaviour (13.2%). While these figures represent the majority of local activity, the actual number of incidents remains low given the small population.

Property crime in Watlington is notably infrequent, with an overall rate of 11.0 per 1,000 residents. This category includes burglary, vehicle crime, and various forms of theft. Specifically, vehicle crime accounts for 3.3% of total offences, while burglary and bicycle theft each represent only 1.1%. For residents, this means that while the risk of property-related crime is significantly lower than the national average, the prevalence of criminal damage suggests that perimeter security and property maintenance remain important for deterring opportunistic vandalism.

Crime Trends in Watlington (King's Lynn and West Norfolk)

Watlington is currently experiencing a positive downward trend in crime, with a year-over-year decrease of 5.2%. Analysis of the monthly data for 2025 reveals a relatively stable but fluctuating pattern. The year began with a rate of 3.8 in January, followed by several months of moderate activity peaking at 4.2 in April and September.

Notably, the area saw a significant drop in crime during the mid-summer and end-of-year periods, with rates falling to as low as 1.5 in July, November, and December. This suggests that crime in Watlington is not only low but also sporadic. The overall reduction indicates that the community remains a very safe environment, with the periodic spikes in April and September likely representing isolated incidents rather than a systemic increase in criminal activity.

How To Keep Safe in Watlington (King's Lynn and West Norfolk)

The most frequent crime type in Watlington is violence and sexual offences. To maintain personal safety, we recommend staying aware of your surroundings when walking alone, particularly during the evening hours. Although the community is small and safe, using well-lit paths and letting someone know your expected arrival time are sensible precautions.

Given that criminal damage and arson are the second most common offences, property owners should focus on perimeter security. Ensure that gates are locked and that there are no easy hiding spots created by overgrown shrubbery near entry points. For those with vehicles, the 25% spike in vehicle crime during the night suggests that parking in a well-lit driveway or a locked garage is highly effective. Finally, because anti-social behaviour is also present, engaging with local community groups and reporting any unusual activity to the police helps maintain the area's high safety score of 91/100. Awareness and community vigilance are your best tools in Watlington.

Watlington Time Patterns

Crime in Watlington follows a distinct temporal pattern, with activity being lowest in the early morning and peaking during the evening hours. The night period (12am-6am) is the quietest, though it sees the highest concentration of vehicle crime, which accounts for 25% of offences during these hours. Morning and afternoon periods are dominated by theft-related activities, making up over 30% of incidents as the village and surrounding commercial areas are more active.

As the day transitions into the evening (6pm-12am), the nature of crime shifts toward "other" categories, which includes anti-social behaviour and public order issues, representing 77% of evening reports. This suggests that while property crime is a daytime and late-night concern, social and behavioural issues are more prevalent in the evening. Understanding these shifts allows residents to better tailor their security habits, such as ensuring vehicles are secured before dusk.

Nearby Area Comparison

In the immediate vicinity of Watlington, crime rates vary significantly. While Watlington sits at 34.6 per 1,000, nearby Wiggenhall St Germans has a notably higher rate of 74.2. Conversely, several adjacent rural areas such as Runcton Holme, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, and Setchey all recorded a crime rate of 0.0 per 1,000 in this data period. This suggests that Watlington occupies a middle ground—offering the safety of a rural village while having slightly more recorded activity than its smallest neighbours, yet remaining far safer than larger regional hubs.

Professional Security in Watlington (King's Lynn and West Norfolk)

Watlington's property crime rate of 11.0 per 1,000 residents is exceptionally low, but the prevalence of criminal damage (19.8% of total crime) suggests that opportunistic offences are the primary concern. In such a high-safety area, traditional reactive security like basic CCTV often feels unnecessary until after a rare event occurs. However, proactive protection is about maintaining that peace of mind.

The scOS AI-powered security system is designed for prevention rather than just recording. In Watlington, where vehicle crime and burglary are rare, scOS provides a powerful deterrent by monitoring property boundaries. Its multi-camera intelligence can distinguish between a neighbour and a potential threat, activating autonomous responses like lights or audio alerts before a crime is committed. By shifting from a system that simply "watches" to one that "intervenes," scOS ensures that your property remains a hard target, preserving the high safety standards that Watlington residents expect.