Witham St Hughs Crime Rate May 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominate the crime profile in Witham St Hughs for May 2025, accounting for 44.4% of the 18 total reported crimes. This category, recorded at 1.5 per 1,000 residents, sits 47% below the UK average of 2.8 per 1,000, highlighting a persistent gap between local rates and national trends. The area’s crime rate of 3.3 per 1,000 residents—59.3% below the UK average of 8.1—reflects the broader influence of its built-up yet semi-rural character, where limited commercial activity and a close-knit community structure contribute to lower crime exposure. The breakdown of crimes reveals a combination of seasonal factors and local dynamics: as May’s longer evenings and bank holidays encourage outdoor socialising, the rise in public order offences and criminal damage may be partially explained by increased informal gatherings and associated disruptions. However, the absence of significant spikes in property-related crimes, despite the 100% increase in shoplifting, suggests that the area’s small-scale retail environment and low population density may act as natural deterrents. This is further reinforced by the 58% below UK average rate for anti-social behaviour, which could be attributed to the community’s informal social controls and the lack of concentrated urban spaces where such incidents typically proliferate. The overall stability in crime levels compared to previous months underscores the resilience of this area’s low-crime environment, even as specific categories like shoplifting and public order offences show notable shifts.

May 2025 saw sharp increases in criminal damage and arson, shoplifting, and public order offences, each rising by 100% compared to April. This spike in property-related and public order crimes contrasts with a 60% drop in other theft, which fell from five to two incidents. The dominance of violence and sexual offences—accounting for 44.4% of all crimes—remains stark, with this category recorded at 1.5 per 1,000 residents, 47% below the UK average of 2.8 per 1,000. Anti-social behaviour also fell by 40%, from five to three incidents, suggesting a temporary reduction in disruptive activity. These shifts may reflect seasonal dynamics, such as the extended evenings in May, which could contribute to increased socialising and associated risks. The significant gap between local rates and UK averages—particularly for violence and anti-social behaviour—indicates that Witham St Hughs continues to experience a lower level of violent crime compared to the national picture. For residents, the 100% increase in shoplifting incidents highlights a specific vulnerability in local retail areas, linked to the area’s limited foot traffic and the absence of high-profile commercial hubs that might deter such activity.

Witham St Hughs’ crime rate of 3.3 per 1,000 residents in May 2025 represents a 5.2% decrease from April’s rate of 3.5 per 1,000, reflecting a narrow but consistent trend of stability in the area. This decline, though modest, aligns with broader seasonal patterns observed in smaller, built-up areas where crime levels typically remain low and fluctuate minimally throughout the year. On a daily basis, the 18 crimes recorded in May equate to one crime per day, a figure that underscores the infrequency of incidents in this relatively isolated community. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 304 residents, a ratio that places the area firmly within the lower end of national benchmarks. When contextualised against the population of 5,473, this suggests that residents face minimal exposure to crime in their daily lives. The stability in crime levels compared to the prior month reinforces the area’s character as a small, closely-knit community with limited commercial or industrial activity, a factor historically associated with lower crime rates. This consistency may also be influenced by the area’s geographical isolation, which limits opportunities for certain types of crime and reduces the frequency of interactions that could escalate into violent or property-related incidents.