Bearsted Crime Rate February 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Bearsted's overall crime rate in February 2024 stood at 4.1 per 1,000 residents, placing it 42.3% below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000. This marks a significant improvement in safety relative to national trends, though the area's crime profile reveals distinct patterns. Vehicle crime dominated the monthly tally, accounting for 50% of all reported incidents (17 cases), with a rate of 2.0 per 1,000 — 355% above the UK average for this category. This stark contrast highlights a localised vulnerability, likely linked to Bearsted's built-up area status and potential exposure to vehicle-related crime hotspots. Violent crime, meanwhile, represented 20.6% of the total (7 cases), a rate of 0.8 per 1,000 — 68% below the UK average. This suggests a generally lower incidence of interpersonal violence compared to national benchmarks, possibly reflecting the area's quieter suburban character. Seasonal factors may also play a role, as February's low outdoor activity and pre-spring lull could contribute to reduced opportunities for violent encounters. The remaining crimes were spread across burglary (8.8%), anti-social behaviour (5.9%), and theft-related offences, all of which showed mixed comparisons to UK averages. While the overall rate is encouraging, the sharp rise in vehicle crime underscores the need for targeted local measures to address this specific risk.

February 2024 saw a dramatic 466.7% increase in vehicle crime, jumping from 3 to 17 cases — the most significant month-on-month surge in the dataset. This escalation far outpaced the UK average for vehicle crime (0.4 per 1,000), with Bearsted's rate reaching 2.0 per 1,000. The spike may be linked to seasonal factors, as colder weather and reduced daylight hours could drive more vehicle-related incidents in residential areas. Conversely, violence and sexual offences fell by 58.8% compared to January, declining from 17 to 7 cases. This drop aligns with the UK average for this category (2.5 per 1,000) and may reflect the area's lower population density and reduced social interactions during winter. Anti-social behaviour and shoplifting both showed marked improvements, with rates 81% and 63% below UK averages respectively. These reductions suggest effective local policing or community initiatives, though further analysis would be needed to confirm causation. The contrast between the sharp rise in vehicle crime and the declines in other categories highlights a complex shift in Bearsted's crime profile, with property-related offences now dominating the monthly tally at 73.5% of all reported incidents.

Bearsted's crime rate in February 2024 rose by 30.9% compared to January's rate of 3.1 per 1,000, though it remains significantly below the UK average. This increase was driven primarily by the 466.7% surge in vehicle crime, which saw 17 incidents reported — a figure that translates to roughly 1 crime per day over the 29-day period. For residents, this means that during February, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 246 residents — a monthly exposure rate that is lower than the UK average for comparable areas. The previous month's rate of 3.1 per 1,000 suggests a short-term fluctuation, possibly influenced by seasonal factors such as reduced visibility during winter. While the overall crime rate has increased, the area's population-scaled perspective remains reassuring: with 8,356 residents, the 34 reported crimes represent a manageable level of risk. This context is particularly important when considering Bearsted's built-up status within Maidstone, where higher population density might typically correlate with greater crime rates. The contrast between Bearsted's figures and the UK average underscores the area's unique characteristics, suggesting that local initiatives or environmental factors may be contributing to its relatively low crime profile despite the recent uptick in vehicle-related incidents.