Bearsted Crime Rate July 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Bearsted’s July 2023 crime rate of 2.3 per 1,000 residents places it 72.3% below the UK average of 8.3, underscoring the area’s consistently low crime profile. This aligns with its character as a small built-up area within Maidstone, where the density of population is low enough to deter many types of crime but high enough to sustain a modest number of incidents. Violence and sexual offences (36.8% of total crimes) and other theft (21.1%) remained the most common categories, a pattern consistent with small urban areas where interpersonal disputes and opportunistic theft are more prevalent than in sprawling suburbs. The seasonal context of July—peak tourism, school holidays, and outdoor festivals—likely contributed to the spike in vehicle crime and other theft, as increased foot traffic and vehicle movement create more opportunities for such offences. However, the sharp decline in anti-social behaviour and public order offences may reflect the dispersal of transient populations during the summer, reducing the concentration of potential offenders. While the overall rate remains low, the 43% above UK average for ‘other crime’—a category encompassing a wide range of non-specific incidents—suggests a need for further analysis to identify whether this reflects underreporting or a unique local pattern. The area’s position as a commuter hub within Maidstone may also influence crime trends, with seasonal fluctuations in traffic and business activity affecting both property and violent crime rates. Overall, Bearsted’s July data reinforces its reputation as one of the safer areas in the UK, though the specific spikes in certain categories warrant attention from local authorities.

July 2023 marked sharp increases in vehicle crime (+100%), other theft (+100%), and criminal damage and arson (+100%), though these remain below UK averages by 58% and 69% respectively. Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour fell by two-thirds, and public order offences halved, likely reflecting the quieter nature of summer evenings in a small built-up area. Violence and sexual offences, while still the most common category (36.8% of total crimes), decreased by 30% compared to June, possibly linked to the summer school holidays reducing opportunities for such crimes. The rate of other crime in Bearsted was 43% above the UK average, a rare outlier that may warrant closer scrutiny given its small volume (just two incidents).

July 2023 saw a 9.6% decline in Bearsted’s overall crime rate, dropping from 2.5 to 2.3 per 1,000 residents. This continues a downward trend observed in recent months, though the pace of reduction slowed compared to the previous quarter. On a daily basis, Bearsted recorded roughly one crime per day in July, a figure that, while low, reflects the area’s generally quiet nature. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 440 residents, highlighting the relatively low exposure to crime compared to larger urban centres. When scaled to Bearsted’s population of 8,356, this means that the vast majority of residents are unaffected by crime on a monthly basis. The shift in crime mix—particularly the increase in vehicle crime and other theft—suggests a need for targeted local awareness, though the overall safety profile remains markedly better than the UK average.