Burgess Hill Crime Rate November 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Burgess Hill’s crime profile in November 2024 reveals a distinct mix of offences that reflects both local characteristics and seasonal influences. The area recorded 156 crimes, with violence and sexual offences accounting for 29.5% of the total (46 incidents), followed by shoplifting (23.1%) and anti-social behaviour (12.2%). This distribution suggests a balance between personal safety concerns and community-level issues, with the former being lower than the UK average. Violence and sexual offences in Burgess Hill occurred at 1.3 per 1,000 residents, 50% below the UK rate of 2.6 per 1,000, a discrepancy that may partly explain the area’s overall lower crime rate of 4.6 per 1,000, 39.5% below the national average. However, shoplifting’s rate (1.1 per 1,000) was 59% above the UK average (0.7 per 1,000), pointing to a specific vulnerability in retail environments. This contrast could stem from the area’s built-up nature, where high streets and shopping centres attract both residents and visitors, creating opportunities for theft. Seasonal factors also played a role: Bonfire Night events may have contributed to anti-social behaviour, while the Black Friday shopping period likely intensified shoplifting trends. Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour and public order offences, though present, were both significantly below UK averages, indicating that community policing or local initiatives may be effectively managing these categories. The relatively low burglary rate (0.1 per 1,000) compared to the UK average (0.3 per 1,000) suggests that property crime is not a dominant concern in this area, due to the presence of secure housing stock or effective community engagement. As November’s dark evenings and seasonal events drew to a close, the crime mix highlighted both the resilience of Burgess Hill’s residents and the need for targeted interventions in retail spaces.

November saw a dramatic 157.1% increase in shoplifting, rising from 14 to 36 incidents. This sharp rise aligns with the Black Friday shopping period, which typically drives retail crime in built-up areas. Robbery also doubled, with four incidents reported compared to none in October, though the small sample size limits interpretation. Conversely, burglary fell by 75.0% (12 to 3), and public order offences halved (20 to 10), possibly reflecting reduced outdoor activity as evenings grew darker. Violence and sexual offences, at 46 incidents (29.5% of total), remained the most common category, though this rate was 50% below the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000. Shoplifting’s 59% excess over the UK average (0.7 per 1,000) contrasts sharply with anti-social behaviour, which was 46% below the national rate, suggesting local community dynamics may suppress certain types of disorder.

Burgess Hill's crime rate in November 2024 stood at 4.6 per 1,000 residents, a 25.8% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 6.1. This reduction suggests a trend of declining incidents over the autumn period, though seasonal factors may influence such changes. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately 5 crimes per day, a figure that contextualises the pace of activity within the built-up area. Over the course of November, one reported crime occurred for every 220 residents, highlighting the relatively low frequency of incidents compared to larger urban centres. With a population of 34,265, this monthly exposure places Burgess Hill well below the UK average, which is 7.6 per 1,000. The population-scaled perspective reveals that while crime remains a concern, its impact on daily life is proportionally limited, offering residents a sense of relative safety even amid occasional spikes in specific categories.