Witham St Hughs Crime Rate November 2023 | Monthly Statistics

For a population of 5,473 residents, 16 crimes reported in November 2023 translate to a crime rate of 2.9 per 1,000 people — 61.3% below the UK average of 7.5 per 1,000. This stark contrast reflects the area’s character as a relatively low-density built-up area within North Kesteven, where community cohesion and limited commercial activity may contribute to lower overall crime levels. The breakdown of offences reveals a clear focus on violent crime, with 11 incidents of violence and sexual offences accounting for 68.8% of all recorded crimes. This dominance of violent crime over property crime contrasts with broader UK trends, where property offences typically outpace violent crime in most regions. Seasonal factors likely played a role in November’s patterns: the lead-up to Bonfire Night (5 November) may have contributed to increased public order concerns, while Black Friday shopping activity could have influenced retail-related crime, though such offences were not prominently recorded this month. The low rate of property crimes — only 3 incidents (1.8 per 1,000) — suggests that Witham St Hughs’ built-up area, while not entirely devoid of commercial activity, lacks the high-traffic retail hubs that often drive shoplifting or vehicle crime in larger urban centres. The absence of significant property crime, combined with the area’s rural-adjacent location, may indicate that residents’ daily routines and limited exposure to high-risk environments help maintain this lower crime profile. However, the concentration of violent crime raises questions about local dynamics, such as whether the area’s demographic composition or seasonal social interactions (e.g. during Bonfire Night celebrations) create conditions where interpersonal conflicts are more likely to escalate.

November 2023 saw notable shifts in crime patterns, with violent crime increasing by 37.5% compared to October (from 8 to 11 incidents). This rise in violence and sexual offences — which now account for 68.8% of all crimes — may partly explain the overall 22.7% increase in the crime rate from 2.4 to 2.9 per 1,000 residents. Burglary and criminal damage and arson both saw 100% month-on-month increases, with the latter category doubling to 2 incidents, despite remaining 32% below the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000. The drop in anti-social behaviour by 50% (from 2 to 1 incident) suggests a possible reduction in public disturbances, though this category remains 81% below the UK average of 1.1 per 1,000. For residents, the most immediate concern is the spike in violent crime, which now exceeds property crime for the first time this year. This shift highlights a need for targeted community initiatives, particularly around conflict resolution and youth engagement, given the area’s proximity to larger towns where such programmes might be more established. The UK comparison data further underscores Witham St Hughs’ relative safety: violence and sexual offences here are 23% below the national average, while anti-social behaviour is 81% below — a disparity that may reflect the area’s smaller population and more tightly knit social networks, which could act as natural deterrents to certain types of crime.

The crime rate in November 2023 (2.9 per 1,000) represents a 22.7% increase from October’s rate of 2.4 per 1,000, though it remains significantly lower than the UK average. Over the course of the month, 16 crimes occurred — roughly 1 crime per day — in an area with 5,473 residents. This daily figure, while modest, means that over the course of a year, residents would encounter approximately 36 crimes at this rate, assuming no seasonal variation. On a monthly basis, the 16 crimes translate to a 1-in-342 resident exposure rate, meaning that each resident had a roughly 0.29% chance of being directly involved in a reported crime during November. This monthly exposure rate, while not negligible, is far below the UK average, where the equivalent figure would be around 1-in-133 residents. The population-scaled perspective highlights the area’s continued position as a low-crime locale, even as the rate rises slightly from the previous month. For context, the UK’s average crime rate of 7.5 per 1,000 would translate to 40 crimes in Witham St Hughs alone — over double the number recorded in November. This comparison reinforces the importance of local factors in shaping crime patterns, such as the area’s rural-adjacent setting and potentially lower levels of social fragmentation compared to more densely populated regions. The increase in the crime rate from October, while notable, still places Witham St Hughs firmly in the lower quartile of UK crime statistics, suggesting that any interventions needed are likely to be targeted rather than systemic.