Lenham and Harrietsham Crime Rate August 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Lenham and Harrietsham's crime rate of 5.9 per 1,000 residents in August 2024 places it 28% below the UK average of 8.2 per 1,000, marking one of the safest months in recent records. This performance reflects a combination of seasonal factors and local characteristics. The most prevalent crimes were violence and sexual offences (21 incidents, 52.5% of total), followed by shoplifting (10 incidents, 25.0%) and anti-social behaviour (3 incidents, 7.5%). While violent crimes dominate, their rate of 3.1 per 1,000 is 15% above the UK average, suggesting a unique dynamic in this built-up area. The surge in shoplifting—111% above the UK average—may relate to the area's retail presence, though the absence of explicit data on local businesses means this remains a hedged interpretation. August, as a peak holiday month, likely contributed to fluctuations: empty homes may have increased burglary risk, while summer evenings could have influenced patterns of violence. Anti-social behaviour and criminal damage both fell from previous months, aligning with broader seasonal trends that see reduced public disorder during holidays. The interplay of these factors illustrates a community where safety is generally maintained, though specific categories like shoplifting demand closer attention.

August 2024 saw notable shifts in crime patterns, with bicycle theft surging by 100% to one incident, marking a new high for this category. Other theft also rose by 100%, from one to two incidents, though these remain low compared to the UK average. Shoplifting increased by 66.7%, reaching 10 incidents—a rate 111% above the national average. This spike may partly explain the dominance of property crimes, which now account for 40% of total offences (16 out of 40), compared to 52.5% for violent crimes. However, anti-social behaviour fell by 40%, from five to three incidents, and criminal damage and arson dropped by 50%, from two to one. These decreases contrast sharply with the UK average, where anti-social behaviour is 72% higher. Residents may find the 40% reduction in anti-social behaviour particularly noteworthy, as it suggests a potential correlation with local initiatives or seasonal factors influencing community behaviour during the peak holiday period.

Lenham and Harrietsham's crime rate in August 2024 (5.9 per 1,000 residents) reflects a 4.8% decrease from the previous month's rate of 6.2 per 1,000. This monthly decline, though modest, aligns with the area's consistently lower-than-average crime profile. On a daily basis, the 40 total crimes recorded over 31 days equate to approximately one reported crime per day—a figure that contextualises the pace of incidents for local residents. When scaled to the population, the monthly exposure rate of 1 crime per 169 residents underscores the relatively low frequency of crime in this built-up area. This statistic, while straightforward, highlights the broader safety context: for every 170 people living in Lenham and Harrietsham, only one crime was reported during August. Such a ratio, combined with the area's 28% deficit to the UK average, reinforces the distinctiveness of its crime profile compared to national trends.