Locking Crime Rate April 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Locking's crime profile in April 2023 reveals an exceptionally low overall rate of 0.4 per 1,000 residents, placing it 94.7% below the UK average of 7.5 per 1,000. This stark contrast to national trends highlights the area's unique characteristics. The two reported crimes—1 property crime and 1 violent crime—reflect a balance between categories, though neither type individually reaches the UK averages for their respective categories. The breakdown shows criminal damage and arson accounted for 50% of total crimes, while violence and sexual offences made up the remaining 50%, both significantly below their UK counterparts. Seasonal context in April—marked by Easter celebrations, spring weather, and increased outdoor activity—may partly explain the low crime rate, as such periods often correlate with community engagement and reduced opportunities for certain offences. Locking's status as a built-up area within North Somerset, a region with historically lower urban density, likely contributes to this pattern. The absence of major retail hubs or nightlife venues reduces exposure to crimes typically linked to those environments, such as shoplifting or public order offences. This month's data underscores a broader trend of stability, with no major spikes or shifts in crime types that would suggest systemic issues. The low rate, however, remains consistent with the area's character as a relatively quiet, low-density built-up space where community cohesion and limited commercial activity may naturally suppress criminal opportunities.

April 2023 saw a 100% increase in criminal damage and arson, the sole category to rise month-on-month, while violence and sexual offences fell by 50% from the previous month. This shift in crime mix—from 2 incidents of violence in March to 1 in April—suggests a temporary reduction in personal crime, though both categories remain far below UK averages. Criminal damage and arson, at 0.2 per 1,000, are 67% below the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000, while violence and sexual offences are 92% below the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000. These figures highlight Locking's consistent underperformance relative to national norms, with no crime type approaching the UK's baseline rates. For residents, the most immediately relevant data is the absence of property crimes beyond the single reported incident, which may reassure those concerned about burglary or theft in residential areas. The month-on-month decrease in violent crime, despite the Easter period typically associated with increased social activity, suggests that local factors—such as community policing or seasonal routines—may be influencing outcomes in ways not immediately apparent from the data alone.

Locking's April 2023 crime rate of 0.4 per 1,000 represents a 49.3% decrease from the previous month's rate of 0.8 per 1,000, marking a significant downward trend. This reduction is even more pronounced when considering the daily crime context: 2 total crimes over 30 days equate to roughly 0 crimes per day, a figure that underscores the area's exceptionally low baseline. Monthly exposure calculations show that, over the course of April, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 2,650 residents—a ratio that, when scaled to the area's population of 5,299, illustrates the minimal likelihood of any individual encountering crime. This compares starkly to the UK average of 7.5 per 1,000, where the equivalent monthly exposure would be one crime for every 133 residents. The contrast is particularly striking in the context of property crime, which in Locking remains at 0.2 per 1,000—over 90% below the UK average for that category. For a population of 5,299, this means the chance of experiencing a property crime is approximately 1 in 5,000, a figure that would be considered extremely low even in the most secure urban areas. The drop from the previous month's rate also suggests that any transient factors influencing crime in March, such as weather or temporary events, may have dissipated by April, leaving the area's crime profile largely unchanged from its historical norms.