East Grinstead Crime Rate December 2024 | Monthly Statistics

East Grinstead's crime rate in December 2024 stood at 4.8 per 1,000 residents, placing it 32.4% below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000. This built-up area within Mid Sussex maintains a consistently lower crime profile than the national benchmark, a pattern observed across multiple crime categories. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 48.9% of all reported crimes (66 incidents), followed by anti-social behaviour (13.3%) and criminal damage and arson (8.9%). These figures contrast with the UK averages for the same categories, where East Grinstead's rates for violence, anti-social behaviour, and shoplifting were 6%, 36%, and 30% below national levels respectively. The seasonal context of December—characterised by Christmas shopping, extended evenings, and holiday-related absences—may partly explain the distribution of crime types. While property crime rates remained low (40 incidents, 29.6% of total), violent crime remained the most prevalent category, a trend consistent with the area's mix of residential and commercial spaces. The lower-than-average rates for shoplifting and public order offences could reflect the town's smaller retail footprint compared to larger urban centres, though this remains speculative without further demographic data.

December 2024 saw significant fluctuations in specific crime types compared to November. Other crime increased by 200% (1 to 3 incidents), while robbery doubled (0 to 2 incidents), and criminal damage and arson rose by 71.4% (7 to 12 incidents). These increases contrast with sharp declines in public order offences (-61.5%, 13 to 5), shoplifting (-58.3%, 24 to 10), and burglary (-50%, 8 to 4). The crime mix shifted with violent crime comprising nearly half of all reports (48.9%)—a proportion higher than the UK average for the same category (2.6 per 1,000, 6% below East Grinstead's 2.4 per 1,000). This suggests a relative concentration of violent incidents despite the area's overall lower crime rate. The 30% gap between East Grinstead's shoplifting rate (0.4 per 1,000) and the UK average (0.6 per 1,000) aligns with the town's smaller retail sector. spike in criminal damage and arson may indicate seasonal factors such as holiday-related vandalism or arson linked to empty homes. Residents may find the 12.8% month-on-month reduction in overall crime rate (from 5.5 to 4.8 per 1,000) a positive sign, though the rise in other crime categories deserves closer attention.

East Grinstead's crime rate in December 2024 fell 12.8% compared to November's 5.5 per 1,000, reflecting a downward trend in overall crime. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 4 crimes per day in December—a figure that, while providing context for local residents, should be interpreted alongside the broader monthly perspective. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 208 residents, a monthly exposure rate that places East Grinstead well below the UK average when scaled to its population of 28,028. This statistic underscores the area's relatively low crime burden compared to national benchmarks, though the 1-in-208 figure is a monthly aggregate and does not account for daily fluctuations. The population-scaled perspective also highlights the significance of the 32.4% gap between East Grinstead's rate and the UK average—equivalent to 1.7 fewer crimes per 1,000 residents than the national norm. This disparity is particularly evident in categories like anti-social behaviour, where East Grinstead's rate was 36% below the UK average, and burglary, where it was 68% below. These figures suggest systemic differences in community dynamics or policing effectiveness that warrant further analysis beyond raw numerical comparisons.