Bearsted Crime Rate April 2024 | Monthly Statistics

For every 1,000 residents in Bearsted, 2 crimes were reported in April 2024—a figure 74% below the UK average of 7.7 per 1,000. This low rate translates to a daily risk of roughly one crime per 30 residents over the course of the month, a statistic that may feel abstract until contextualised through the types of offences recorded. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for 41.2% of all incidents, followed by anti-social behaviour (23.5%) and shoplifting (17.7%). These figures suggest a community where interpersonal conflicts and minor disturbances are more prominent than property crimes, a pattern consistent with smaller built-up areas where social cohesion often plays a significant role in crime dynamics. Seasonal factors may also influence these numbers: April’s spring weather and Easter-related activity likely increased foot traffic in local retail and public spaces, contributing to the relatively high proportion of shoplifting incidents compared to other months. However, the overall low rate indicates that Bearsted’s residents face significantly lower risks than the national average, a trend that could reflect effective local policing, community engagement, or the area’s character as a quiet, low-density built-up zone within Maidstone.

April 2024 saw dramatic shifts in Bearsted’s crime profile, with anti-social behaviour surging by 300% (from 1 to 4 incidents) and shoplifting tripling (from 1 to 3). These increases, while modest in absolute terms, suggest localized pressures—possibly linked to the Easter holiday period, which often brings transient populations and heightened social interactions. Conversely, burglary, public order offences, and other thefts all fell by 50%, a decline that may reflect seasonal patterns or the effectiveness of targeted interventions. Bearsted’s violent crime rate of 0.8 per 1,000 residents is 69% below the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000, a gap that underscores the area’s relatively safe environment despite the rise in anti-social behaviour. The breakdown also reveals that shoplifting remains a persistent concern, with Bearsted’s rate of 0.4 per 1,000 still 40% below the UK average of 0.7 per 1,000. For residents, this data suggests that while the risk of violent crime is low, vigilance in retail areas may still be prudent, particularly during periods of increased foot traffic.

Bearsted’s crime rate of 2.0 per 1,000 residents in April 2024 marks a 10.6% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 2.3, a decline that may reflect seasonal patterns or the stabilisation of local crime dynamics. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately one crime per day—a figure that, while low, illustrates the frequency of incidents in a community of 8,356 residents. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 492 residents, a monthly exposure that translates to a 0.2% chance of being directly affected by crime. This statistic, though small, provides a concrete measure of risk that residents can contextualise within their daily lives. When compared to the UK average, Bearsted’s performance is striking: its overall crime rate is 74% below the national figure, and individual categories such as violence (69% below UK average) and anti-social behaviour (59% below) highlight systemic differences in crime prevention or community resilience. These disparities may stem from Bearsted’s status as a built-up area within Maidstone, where local policing strategies, community engagement, or the area’s demographic profile could contribute to its consistently low crime rates.