Monmouth Crime Rate December 2023 | Monthly Statistics

The crime profile of Monmouth in December 2023 reveals a distinct pattern shaped by both seasonal rhythms and the town's historic character. With a crime rate of 4.3 per 1,000 residents — 40.3% below the UK average — the data highlights the dominance of violent crime, which accounted for 46.3% of all incidents, primarily in the form of violence and sexual offences. This category, at 2.0 per 1,000, is 24% below the UK average, suggesting that the town's compact layout and high proportion of residential properties may limit opportunities for more severe violent incidents. The second most common crime type, public order offences, at 0.6 per 1,000, is 25% above the UK average, a discrepancy that may reflect the increased presence of transient populations during the festive season. Meanwhile, other theft and shoplifting rates remain well below national levels, with shoplifting at 0.2 per 1,000 (59% below the UK average) and other theft at 0.2 per 1,000 (66% below the UK average). This contrast between violent and property crime underscores Monmouth's unique position as a town where community cohesion appears to mitigate more serious offences, even as seasonal factors create pockets of vulnerability in specific categories. The seasonal context of December — with its dark evenings, empty homes over holidays, and surge in both local and tourist activity — likely plays a key role in shaping these patterns. The reduced foot traffic in commercial zones may have limited petty crime opportunities, while the heightened presence of both residents and visitors could have acted as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour. However, the rise in public order offences and the spike in burglary suggest that the festive period's social dynamics, including increased alcohol consumption and the temporary displacement of certain populations, may have created new challenges for local authorities. The town's historic architecture, with its narrow streets and high proportion of residential properties, may further contribute to these patterns by creating environments where crimes are more visible and less likely to go unreported. This visibility, combined with the town's relatively low population density, could explain why Monmouth's crime rate remains significantly lower than the national average, despite the fluctuations observed in specific categories. The data thus illustrates a community where the interplay of geography, seasonality, and social dynamics creates a crime profile that is both distinct and reflective of broader national trends.

December 2023 witnessed a 26.5% decrease in violence and sexual offences, from 34 to 25 incidents, a trend consistent with the Christmas holiday period's impact on offender and victim behaviour. Conversely, burglary increased by 200% month-on-month, rising from 1 to 3 incidents. This spike, though statistically significant, remains well below the UK average of 0.3 per 1,000. Public order offences also rose by 16.7%, from 6 to 7 incidents, placing Monmouth 25% above the UK average for this category. The data also reveals a 66.7% reduction in anti-social behaviour, from 9 to 3 incidents, a decline that may be linked to the increased presence of local and tourist communities during the holiday season. These fluctuations highlight the interplay between seasonal factors and local dynamics, with the area's crime mix reflecting both the challenges and opportunities presented by its unique character. The 40.3% gap between Monmouth's overall rate and the UK average underscores the town's relatively safe environment, particularly in categories like shoplifting, which is 59% below the national average. The contrast between the sharp decline in violent crime and the rise in property-related offences suggests shifting priorities among offenders during the festive period, possibly influenced by the closure of certain businesses and the movement of transient populations through the area.

Monmouth's December 2023 crime rate of 4.3 per 1,000 residents marked a 23.9% decline from November's 5.7 per 1,000, a shift consistent with seasonal patterns in this historic town. On a daily basis, the area saw an average of 2 crimes per day over the 31-day month, translating to one reported crime for every 231 residents. This monthly exposure metric highlights a relatively low level of personal risk compared to the UK average of 7.2 per 1,000. When contextualised to Monmouth's population of 12,456, the data reveals that over the course of the month, the likelihood of encountering a crime was significantly lower than the national average. This is particularly evident in categories like anti-social behaviour, which is 78% below the UK average, and shoplifting, 59% below the UK rate. The town's compact built-up area, characterised by a mix of historic architecture and seasonal visitor flows, likely contributes to these patterns. The reduced foot traffic in commercial zones during the festive period may have limited opportunities for petty crime, while the increased presence of local and tourist communities may have reinforced informal social controls, reducing anti-social behaviour incidents. The compact nature of Monmouth's core area, with its high proportion of historic buildings and narrow streets, may also create an environment where crimes are more visible and less likely to go unreported, further skewing the data towards lower rates compared to more sprawling urban centres.