Cottingham and Middleton Crime Rate

Cottingham and Middleton presents as a notably safe urban settlement within North Northamptonshire, featuring an overall crime rate of 55.3 per 1,000 people. This figure is significantly lower than the UK average of 91.6, contributing to an impressive safety score of 87/100. The area is currently experiencing a positive downward trend, with total crime decreasing by 14.2% year-over-year. While the safety score comfortably exceeds the national average of 79, specific crime types like burglary and violence still require resident awareness. The following data provides a detailed breakdown of the local safety landscape, helping residents and newcomers understand the specific patterns of activity within this community during the Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 period.

Crime Breakdown in Cottingham and Middleton

The most prevalent crime in Cottingham and Middleton is violence and sexual offences, which accounts for 30.8% of all reported incidents, followed by anti-social behaviour at 26.4%. Burglary is also a significant concern, representing 13.2% of total crime. When examining property-related crime collectively—which includes burglary, vehicle crime, theft from the person, bicycle theft, and other theft—the rate stands at 16.4 per 1,000 people. While this is lower than many urban centres, the high proportion of burglary within the property crime category suggests that residential security remains a priority for local homeowners. Understanding these figures helps residents focus their safety efforts on home protection and personal awareness.

Crime Trends in Cottingham and Middleton

The long-term trend for Cottingham and Middleton is encouraging, with an overall year-over-year decrease in crime of 14.2%. This suggests that local safety initiatives and community vigilance are having a tangible impact on reducing criminal activity. However, the monthly trend data for 2025 shows noticeable volatility. The year began quietly with a rate of 2.4 in January, but spiked significantly to 7.9 in February. Another major peak occurred in June, reaching the year's high of 9.7 per 1,000 residents. These spikes often correlate with seasonal changes or specific local events. Towards the end of the year, the rate stabilised, ending at 4.3 in December. This pattern of intermittent spikes within a generally declining trend suggests that while the area is becoming safer, residents should remain alert during the early summer months when activity typically increases.

How To Keep Safe in Cottingham and Middleton

The most prevalent crime in the area is violence and sexual offences. While these incidents are often private or targeted, maintaining personal safety in public spaces is always advisable.

1. Stay aware of your surroundings when walking alone, particularly during the evening hours, and stick to well-lit routes.
2. Ensure your home is secure at all times; even though violence is the top crime, the high burglary rate suggests that physical home security is a vital deterrent.
3. If you are involved in a confrontational situation, prioritise de-escalation and remove yourself from the environment as quickly as possible.
4. Report any suspicious loitering or anti-social behaviour to the local authorities, as these activities can sometimes escalate into more serious offences.
5. Use personal safety apps or share your location with trusted friends or family when travelling late at night.

Analysis of crime timing in Cottingham and Middleton reveals specific windows of risk. Burglary, which is a major local concern, shows a heavy concentration during the night-time hours, with 60% of all incidents occurring between midnight and 6am. This contrasts with many other areas where burglary is a daytime offence. The afternoon period (12pm - 6pm) also sees a high frequency of burglary at 51%, suggesting that properties are targeted both when residents are asleep and when they are away from home. Theft-related crimes are most prominent in the morning and afternoon, likely coinciding with periods of higher footfall and commercial activity. Evening hours (6pm - 12am) see a significant amount of 'other' crimes, which often includes anti-social behaviour. Overall, the data suggests that while the area is quiet, the hours of darkness require the highest level of residential vigilance.

When examining the regional context, Cottingham and Middleton sits in a middle ground between highly active urban centres and very quiet rural hamlets. To the south, Corby experiences a significantly higher crime rate of 104.5 per 1,000 people, reflecting its larger population and commercial density. In contrast, the immediate neighbouring villages of Great Easton, Wilbarston, and Ashley all recorded a crime rate of 0.0 per 1,000 people, indicating almost no reported criminal activity. For those looking at the area, Cottingham and Middleton offers a balance of urban settlement convenience with a safety profile that remains much closer to its quietest neighbours than to the busier nearby town of Corby.

With a property crime rate of 16.4 per 1,000, including a significant proportion of burglaries, protecting your home in Cottingham and Middleton requires a move from reactive to proactive security. Traditional CCTV systems are often reactive; they provide footage of a crime after it has already occurred, which rarely prevents the loss of property or the sense of violation. In contrast, an AI-powered operating system like scOS offers proactive protection. By using multi-camera intelligence to monitor property boundaries in real-time, scOS can identify a potential intruder before they even reach your door. Features like autonomous lighting responses and audible alerts can destroy the element of surprise that burglars rely on. For residents in this area, where 60% of burglaries occur at night, the ability of scOS to verify threats and intervene autonomously provides a level of security that standard DIY cameras cannot match. Investing in professional-grade, proactive technology signals to criminals that your property is not an easy target.