Portishead Crime Rate July 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Portishead's crime profile in July 2023 reveals a striking imbalance between violent and property crimes, with violent offences (34 cases) slightly outnumbering property crimes (30 cases). This dynamic, though modest in scale, may reflect the area's character as a coastal town with a mix of residential and tourist activity. The overall crime rate of 4.1 per 1,000 residents—50.6% below the UK average—highlights the area's relative safety, a trend consistent with its low levels of burglary and vehicle crime. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 32.7% of all crimes, a share significantly lower than the UK average of 2.8 per 1,000, suggesting effective community policing or environmental factors that deter such incidents. Anti-social behaviour (26 cases) remained the second most common category, a figure 30% below the UK average. The seasonal context of July—peak summer, school holidays, and tourism—likely influenced these patterns, with public order crimes spiking amid festivals and events. However, the absence of major spikes in property-related offences may indicate that local infrastructure, such as secure housing and limited retail zones, contributes to this trend. While direct causation, the interplay between seasonal activity and crime rates suggests that Portishead's unique geography and community dynamics play a role in maintaining its lower-than-average crime profile.

July 2023 saw a dramatic 550% increase in public order crimes, rising from 2 to 13 cases. This sharp rise, though still below the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000, suggests heightened activity linked to summer festivals and events. Violent crimes accounted for 32.7% of total incidents (34 cases), a share significantly lower than the UK average of 2.8 per 1,000 (53% below), indicating a safer environment for residents compared to national trends. Conversely, shoplifting and vehicle crime both fell sharply—shoplifting dropped 72.2% (from 18 to 5 cases) and vehicle crime declined 37.5% (from 8 to 5 cases), potentially reflecting increased police patrols or seasonal deterrence factors. The category of 'other crime' also fell by 80%, from 5 to 1 case, though this remains an outlier in the data. These shifts underscore the combination of local events and crime patterns, with public order offences emerging as a key focus for community engagement.

Portishead's July 2023 crime rate of 4.1 per 1,000 residents represents an 18.8% decrease from June's rate of 5.0 per 1,000, reflecting a continued downward trend. This places the area significantly below the UK average, which stood at 8.3 per 1,000. On a daily basis, 3 crimes were reported across the 31 days of July, a figure that aligns with the area's generally low crime profile. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 244 residents, illustrating a relatively low monthly exposure compared to other regions. This statistic, when contextualised against Portishead's population of 25,417, suggests that residents face a lower likelihood of encountering crime than the national average. The reduction in overall crime rate may partly reflect the seasonal dynamics of July, which typically sees increased police presence during festivals and events. The population-scaled perspective reinforces the area's status as a safer locality within the UK, particularly when considering the stark contrast between local and national rates.