Weston-super-Mare Crime Rate August 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Weston-super-Mare's August 2023 crime profile reveals a striking imbalance between property and violent crime, with the latter dominating the overall rate. At 10.6 crimes per 1,000 residents, the area's rate is 30.9% above the UK average of 8.1, a discrepancy that may reflect the town's seasonal dynamics. Violence and sexual offences (340 incidents) account for 36.9% of all recorded crimes, outpacing property crimes (318 incidents) by a narrow margin. This dominance of violent crime contrasts with the UK average, where violent offences make up 48% of the total, but in Weston-super-Mare, the proportion is lower. The town's coastal character and summer tourism likely contribute to this pattern, as transient populations and increased foot traffic in public spaces may heighten opportunities for conflict. Anti-social behaviour (132 incidents) and shoplifting (126 incidents) form the next most common categories, with shoplifting’s rate (1.5 per 1,000) 150% above the UK average. This suggests retail areas, particularly those catering to tourists, face heightened pressure during peak holiday months. The seasonal context of August—marked by school holidays, family vacations, and empty homes during off-peak periods—may amplify both property and violent crime risks. However, the relatively low burglary rate (0.3 per 1,000) compared to the UK average (0.3 per 1,000) hints at effective community vigilance or fewer unoccupied properties during the month. While the overall rate remains elevated, the balance between violent and property crime underscores the need for targeted interventions in high-traffic areas and during peak tourist periods.

August 2023 saw sharp fluctuations in specific crime categories, with theft from the person surging by 200% (from 2 to 6 incidents) and shoplifting rising by 50% (from 84 to 126). These increases align with the town's summer tourism peak, where crowded beaches and retail zones may create opportunities for opportunistic theft. Conversely, robbery rates fell by 58.8% (from 17 to 7), possibly reflecting heightened police presence or improved lighting in key areas. The violent crime category remains high, with violence and sexual offences at 3.9 per 1,000 (48% above the UK average) and anti-social behaviour at 1.5 per 1,000 (4% above the UK average). This suggests that while violent crime is not uniquely concentrated in Weston-super-Mare, its impact is more pronounced than the national average. Shoplifting’s 150% increase over the UK average (0.6 per 1,000) highlights a critical vulnerability in retail environments, which may warrant targeted measures such as CCTV expansion or staff training. Meanwhile, vehicle crime (0.4 per 1,000) and burglary (0.3 per 1,000) remain below UK averages, indicating that the town’s infrastructure—its compact layout or community monitoring—may mitigate these risks. Residents might find the 200% rise in theft from the person particularly concerning, as it suggests a need for increased personal security awareness during crowded events or peak tourist hours.

Weston-super-Mare’s crime rate in August 2023 remained stable compared to July, with a 0.8% increase from 10.5 to 10.6 per 1,000 residents—a negligible shift that suggests consistency in overall crime patterns. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately 30 crimes per day, a figure that translates to roughly one reported crime for every 94 residents over the course of the month. While this monthly exposure rate is slightly higher than the UK average (which would require specific data to compare), it contextualises the frequency of incidents in a way that residents can relate to. For example, a family of four living in Weston-super-Mare would statistically face a 1-in-236 chance of experiencing a crime during August, a calculation that underscores the need for vigilance without conveying undue alarm. The population-scaled perspective also reveals that while the town’s rate is elevated, the absolute number of crimes (921) is manageable given its size of 87,022 residents. This balance between statistical significance and practical impact is crucial for understanding the data: the rate is high, but the individual risk remains relatively low. Comparing this to the previous month’s rate, the stability suggests that any interventions—whether community-based or police-led—may have had a limited effect, or that seasonal factors are maintaining the status quo. This stability, however, does not negate the need for targeted measures in areas where crime rates are high, such as retail zones or public spaces with elevated anti-social behaviour.