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

Watlington (King's Lynn and West Norfolk) is a notably safe urban settlement, boasting an overall crime rate of 36.5 per 1,000 residents. This figure is significantly lower than the UK national average of 93.1, reflecting the area's secure nature. The settlement holds an impressive safety score of 91/100, placing it well above the UK average of 78. Recent data indicates that the crime trend in Watlington is stable, with a 0.0% change year-over-year. This consistency provides a reassuring environment for residents and businesses alike, suggesting that the community's safety measures and local policing are effectively maintaining a low-crime landscape. The following details provide a deeper look into the specific crime types and temporal patterns within the area.

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

Crime in Watlington is primarily characterised by violence and sexual offences, which account for 45.8% of all recorded incidents (16.7 per 1,000 residents). This is followed by criminal damage and arson at 18.8% and anti-social behaviour at 14.6%. For residents, these figures suggest that while the overall volume of crime is low, community-level disturbances and personal safety are the main areas of police activity.

Property-related crime, encompassing burglary, vehicle crime, and various forms of theft, remains exceptionally low at 11.4 per 1,000 people. This is significantly better than the UK average of 32.9. Specifically, burglary and vehicle crime are minimal, representing just 2.1% and 4.2% of total crime respectively. For homeowners, this indicates a lower-than-average risk of targeted property intrusion, though the presence of criminal damage suggests that opportunistic vandalism is a more frequent concern than professional theft. Maintaining visible security remains a prudent step to ensure these rates remain suppressed.

The crime trend in Watlington is currently stable, with a 0.0% year-over-year change. Analysis of the monthly data from November 2024 to October 2025 shows a relatively consistent but fluctuating pattern. The highest crime rates were recorded in April 2025 and September 2025, both reaching 4.2 per 1,000 residents. Conversely, the lowest activity occurred in December 2024, July 2025, and October 2025, with rates dipping as low as 1.5 to 1.9.

This stability suggests that there are no emerging spikes in criminal activity that residents need to be immediately concerned about. The fluctuations observed are typical for a small population where even a few incidents can noticeably change the monthly rate. For residents, this long-term stability is a positive indicator of a well-maintained and safe environment, suggesting that local law enforcement and community safety initiatives are successfully keeping crime levels under control without significant upward pressure.

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

The most prevalent crime type in Watlington is violence and sexual offences. While the overall crime rate is low, personal safety remains a priority. To stay safe, always be aware of your surroundings when walking alone, particularly during evening hours, and try to stick to well-lit routes. If you are socialising, ensure you have a planned way to get home and let someone know your expected arrival time.

For property protection, given the rate of criminal damage, ensure that your perimeter is secure and that any outdoor equipment or garden furniture is stored out of sight. Installing motion-activated lighting can be a significant deterrent to opportunistic vandals. Finally, participating in local Neighbourhood Watch schemes can help foster a stronger community spirit and ensure that any suspicious activity is reported promptly to the police, helping to maintain Watlington's status as a high-safety area.

In Watlington, crime patterns vary significantly across the day. Morning hours (6am-12pm) and afternoons (12pm-6pm) are most associated with theft-related offences, which account for 31% and 38% of crimes in those periods respectively. As the day progresses into the evening and night, the nature of crime shifts. Night-time (12am-6am) sees a sharp increase in the proportion of vehicle crime, which rises to 32% of all incidents during this window. This suggests that while daytime activity is linked to commercial or opportunistic theft, the late-night period is when unattended property, particularly vehicles, is most at risk. Overall crime intensity tends to peak during weekend evenings, aligning with typical UK patterns for social activity and anti-social behaviour. Understanding these temporal shifts allows residents to take more targeted precautions, such as ensuring vehicles are extra secure overnight.

When comparing Watlington to nearby areas, it sits in a diverse regional context. It is significantly safer than Wiggenhall St Germans, which has a much higher crime rate of 65.9 per 1,000 people. However, several very small neighbouring settlements, including Runcton Holme, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, and Setchey, all recorded a crime rate of 0.0 per 1,000 residents during the same period. This suggests that while Watlington is highly secure compared to larger urban centres, it serves as a central hub for the immediate rural cluster, where the smallest hamlets see virtually no recorded incidents. This regional comparison highlights Watlington as a safe residential choice within the King's Lynn and West Norfolk local authority.

Despite Watlington's low property crime rate of 11.4 per 1,000, homeowners should remain vigilant against opportunistic offences. Traditional security systems often fail because they are reactive; they record a crime as it happens but do little to prevent it. In an area where criminal damage is the second most common crime, preventing the initial approach is vital. The scOS AI-powered operating system offers a proactive alternative by using multi-camera intelligence to detect threats at the property boundary. Unlike standard CCTV, scOS can distinguish between a delivery driver and a genuine threat, activating autonomous responses like lights and speakers to deter intruders before they reach your home. For Watlington residents, this shift from recording to prevention is the most effective way to maintain the area's high safety standards and protect personal property from the nuisance of criminal damage or the rare threat of theft.