Portishead Crime Rate December 2024 | Monthly Statistics

For a population of 25,417 residents, Portishead recorded 123 crimes in December 2024, equating to 4.8 crimes per 1,000 people. This rate is 32.4% below the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000, reflecting a safer environment compared to the national picture. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for 48.8% of all reported incidents (60 cases), followed by public order issues (13%) and anti-social behaviour (10.6%). These figures align with seasonal patterns typical of a coastal town during the festive period, where extended dark evenings and holiday-related activity may contribute to higher levels of violence and public disorder. While the overall crime rate remains lower than the UK average, the data highlights a significant disparity in specific categories: public order offences in Portishead are 33% above the national average, while shoplifting and vehicle crime are both 65% and 50% below UK levels respectively. This contrast may reflect the area’s character as a mixed-use coastal community with limited retail density compared to larger urban centres, reducing opportunities for certain types of theft. The seasonal context of December—marked by Christmas shopping, party season, and prolonged darkness—likely influences the prevalence of violent crime and public order issues, though the overall crime rate remains stable compared to previous months.

December 2024 saw notable shifts in Portishead’s crime profile, with drugs-related offences tripling from zero to three incidents—a 100% increase—and robbery doubling from zero to one case. Conversely, shoplifting dropped by 70% (20 to 6) and vehicle crime fell by 50% (10 to 5), suggesting a reduction in opportunistic theft during the festive period. These changes align with seasonal dynamics: the rise in drugs offences may be linked to increased social mixing during holiday events, while the drop in shoplifting could reflect reduced retail footfall or heightened vigilance during the Christmas shopping rush. Public order offences, however, surged by 45.5% to 16 cases, remaining 33% above the UK average. This category’s elevation may be attributed to the area’s coastal location, where transient visitors and festive gatherings could contribute to disorder. Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour, though still a concern, remained 47% below the UK average, indicating a relatively low incidence of disruptive conduct compared to national trends. The data also reveals that robbery and other crime categories were completely absent in the previous month, underscoring the variability in crime patterns across short timeframes.

Portishead’s crime rate in December 2024 (4.8 per 1,000 residents) marked a 20.1% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 6.1 per 1,000, reflecting a sustained trend of declining crime. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately four crimes per day, a figure that, while modest, remains a tangible presence for local residents. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 207 residents, a monthly exposure rate that is significantly lower than the UK average when scaled to Portishead’s population. This contrast is particularly evident in categories like burglary and vehicle crime, which were 35% and 50% below UK levels respectively, potentially due to the area’s relatively compact built-up environment and limited industrial activity. However, the 33% increase in public order offences compared to the UK average raises questions about local factors—such as the influence of transient visitors or the impact of festive events—that may not be fully captured by national statistics. The population context also highlights the importance of localized policing strategies: with 25,417 residents, even small absolute changes in crime numbers can have meaningful implications for community safety perceptions. The month-on-month decline suggests that efforts to address crime, whether through community engagement or targeted interventions, may be yielding results, though the fluctuation in specific categories underscores the need for ongoing monitoring.