Burgess Hill Crime Rate December 2024 | Monthly Statistics

December 2024 marked a notable shift in Burgess Hill's crime profile, with the most dramatic month-on-month change being the 233.3% surge in burglary. This built-up area within Mid Sussex, home to 34,265 residents, recorded 172 crimes in total, yielding a crime rate of 5.0 per 1,000 — 29.6% below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000. The most prevalent crime type was violence and sexual offences (28.5% of total incidents), followed by anti-social behaviour (14.0%) and public order offences (12.8%). These figures align with the area's character as a suburban hub with a mix of retail and residential zones, where seasonal factors like Christmas shopping and holiday-related activity may influence patterns. The violence rate, at 1.4 per 1,000, remains significantly below the UK average for this category, suggesting effective community policing or lower baseline tensions. However, the spike in burglary during December raises questions about holiday-related security lapses, such as unoccupied homes or increased targeting of properties during the festive period. Public order offences also saw a sharp increase, potentially linked to the extended hours of pubs and social gatherings during the holiday season. The overall crime rate, while lower than the national average, reflects the area's unique dynamics — a balance between urban infrastructure and suburban tranquility that may contribute to both stability and occasional spikes in specific crime types. These patterns are consistent with broader seasonal trends, where December's darkness and holiday-related mobility create conditions for certain offences to rise while others, like shoplifting, may decline due to reduced retail activity.

The most striking shift in December 2024 was the 233.3% increase in burglary, rising from 3 to 10 incidents. This jump, though still below the UK average of 0.3 per 1,000, suggests a potential vulnerability during the festive period when homes may be unoccupied. Concurrently, public order offences surged by 120%, from 10 to 22 incidents, possibly linked to the holiday season's increased social activity and darker evenings. In contrast, shoplifting fell by 41.7% (36 to 21), likely due to reduced foot traffic during the Christmas shopping peak. The area's violent crime rate of 1.4 per 1,000 (49 incidents) remains 45% below the UK average for violence and sexual offences, indicating a relatively safer environment for residents. These divergent trends highlight the complexity of seasonal crime patterns, with some categories clearly influenced by the holidays while others remain stable.

Burgess Hill's crime rate in December 2024 rose 10.3% from November's 4.6 per 1,000 to 5.0 per 1,000. This equates to roughly 6 crimes reported daily across the built-up area's 34,265 residents. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 199 residents — a figure that contextualises the monthly exposure for local households. The increase contrasts with the area's consistent performance relative to the UK average, which remains 29.6% lower than the national rate of 7.1 per 1,000. This suggests the local police force's strategies may be mitigating broader trends, though the spike in specific categories like burglary raises questions about seasonal vulnerabilities. The daily crime count, while modest, highlights the persistent presence of crime in a largely suburban environment where retail and residential areas coexist. Local authorities may need to reassess resource allocation in light of these fluctuations.