Hexham Crime Rate August 2024 | Monthly Statistics

For a built-up area of Hexham with a population of 10,393, the 41 reported crimes in August 2024 equate to 3.9 crimes per 1,000 residents — a figure that is 52.4% below the UK average of 8.2 per 1,000. This rate, while relatively low, reflects a combination of local factors and seasonal dynamics. The most common crime category was violence and sexual offences, which accounted for 39% of all incidents (16 cases), followed by anti-social behaviour (31.7%, 13 cases) and criminal damage and arson (9.8%, 4 cases). The dominance of violent crime in this month may be partly explained by the area's character as a historic market town with a mix of residential and commercial spaces, where social interactions are frequent but not always harmonious. August, being a peak holiday month, may also have influenced patterns: while tourism typically boosts local economies, it could have inadvertently increased opportunities for certain crimes, such as anti-social behaviour in public spaces. However, the data shows that Hexham's crime profile remains significantly safer than the UK average across multiple categories, including a 44% deficit in violence and sexual offences compared to the national rate. This contrast highlights the importance of local factors — such as community policing, the town's relatively low population density, and even the presence of open spaces that deter certain types of crime — in shaping Hexham's unique crime picture. The seasonal context of August, with its mix of summer activity and holiday-related disruptions, likely plays a role in the balance between violent and property crimes, though the overall trend remains one of relative safety.

August 2024 saw notable shifts in crime patterns compared to July, with vehicle crime and other theft both surging by 100% — from zero to three and zero to two incidents respectively. This increase could be linked to the summer months, when more residents and visitors take to the roads, potentially leaving vehicles unsecured. Anti-social behaviour also rose by 30% (10 to 13 cases), reflecting the heightened social activity typical of August in a town with a mix of permanent residents and seasonal visitors. Conversely, burglary fell sharply by 66.7% (from three to one incident), which may be attributed to the same seasonal factor: during August, more homes are unoccupied due to holidays, but the data suggests that Hexham's burglary prevention efforts or the physical characteristics of the built-up area (such as proximity to open countryside) may have reduced opportunities for this crime. Violent crimes also decreased by 27.3% (from 22 to 16 cases), a trend that contrasts with the UK average for violence and sexual offences (2.7 per 1,000), where Hexham's rate of 1.5 per 1,000 is 44% below. This divergence from the national picture reinforces the idea that Hexham's unique social and geographic profile — as a historic town with a smaller, more tightly knit community — may contribute to lower rates of violent crime despite the seasonal fluctuations.

Hexham's crime rate in August 2024 (3.9 per 1,000) marked a 24.2% decrease from the previous month's rate of 5.2 per 1,000, reflecting a sustained trend of declining crime in the area. On a daily basis, this translated to roughly one crime being reported every 31 days — a figure that, while seemingly low, provides context for local residents: over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 253 residents. This monthly exposure rate, when compared to the population of 10,393, illustrates the relatively low likelihood of any individual encountering crime in Hexham. The contrast with the UK average becomes even more pronounced when considering the scale: Hexham's 41 total crimes in August equate to just 4% of the national average for a similarly sized built-up area. This disparity underscores the effectiveness of local crime prevention strategies, the town's demographic composition, and possibly the influence of its rural surroundings, which may limit certain types of crime that are more prevalent in densely populated urban centres. For residents, the daily crime count of one per 31 days is a tangible reminder that Hexham remains one of the safer areas in the UK, even as seasonal factors like August's peak holiday period introduce minor fluctuations in crime patterns.