Forest Town Crime Rate July 2023 | Monthly Statistics

In July 2023, Forest Town recorded a crime rate of 6.2 per 1,000 residents, placing it 25.3% below the UK average of 8.3 per 1,000. This figure, while lower than the national benchmark, reflects a combination of local conditions and seasonal influences. The most common crimes were violence and sexual offences (35.5% of total), followed by anti-social behaviour (18.1%) and shoplifting (11.6%). The summer months, with schools out and tourism at its peak, likely contributed to increased foot traffic in public spaces, which may have influenced the distribution of crime. However, the town's overall safety profile remains distinct, with violent crime rates 21% below the UK average and anti-social behaviour 23% below. The seasonal context of July—marked by festivals, outdoor events, and extended daylight hours—may have created conditions where certain crimes, such as shoplifting, are more prevalent. Despite these factors, the built-up nature of Forest Town, with its mix of residential and commercial zones, appears to have mitigated more severe forms of crime compared to other areas. The data also highlights a 17% increase in shoplifting rates compared to the UK average, suggesting that local retail environments may be a focal point for such offences during peak tourist periods. This contrast with the UK average underscores the importance of tailoring crime prevention strategies to the specific needs of Forest Town, rather than applying generic national measures.

July 2023 saw three crimes—theft from the person, robbery, and burglary—jump from zero to one each, marking a 100% increase in each category. This shift, though statistically significant, remains within a context where overall crime rates remain lower than the UK average. Conversely, public order offences fell by 27.3% (from 11 to 8), and anti-social behaviour dropped by 26.5% (from 34 to 25), suggesting a possible reduction in disruptive incidents during the summer months. Shoplifting emerged as the third most common crime, with a rate of 0.7 per 1,000—17% above the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000. This anomaly may reflect the town's retail presence, which could attract opportunistic theft during peak tourist periods. Meanwhile, violence and sexual offences remained 21% below the UK average, at 2.2 per 1,000, indicating the effectiveness of local policing or community initiatives in managing more severe crimes.

Forest Town's crime rate in July 2023 rose by 7.1% compared to June, moving from 5.8 to 6.2 per 1,000 residents. This increase, though modest, highlights a shift in local patterns despite remaining 25.3% below the UK average. On a daily basis, 4 crimes were reported each day in July—a figure that, while low, reflects the town's built-up area dynamics. Over the course of the month, one crime occurred for roughly every 161 residents, a metric that contextualises risk in terms of personal exposure. With a population of 22,202, this translates to a relatively low probability of encountering crime in daily life, even as the rate edged upward. The rise in reported crimes may be linked to seasonal factors, such as increased foot traffic during festivals or the timing of school holidays, though no definitive causal link can be drawn. The town's built-up nature, with its mix of residential and commercial areas, likely influences both the distribution and visibility of crime compared to more rural or sparsely populated regions.