Powys Crime Rate May 2023 | Monthly Statistics

For a population of 135,059, Powys recorded 325 crimes in May 2023, translating to a crime rate of 2.4 per 1,000 residents. This figure is 70% below the UK average of 8.0 per 1,000, reflecting a significantly safer environment compared to the national profile. The most prevalent crime category was anti-social behaviour, accounting for 41.5% of all reported incidents, followed by violence and sexual offences (30.2%) and public order offences (8.3%). These patterns align with May's seasonal context, where longer evenings and increased outdoor socialising may contribute to higher reports of anti-social behaviour and public order issues. Violent crime in Powys was 75% below the UK average, with violence and sexual offences at 0.7 per 1,000 compared to the national rate of 2.8 per 1,000. This contrast suggests a lower incidence of severe violent crime in the area, linked to Powys's rural character, where community cohesion and lower population density may mitigate such incidents. The relatively low rates of property crimes, such as shoplifting (1.9% of total crimes) and vehicle crime (0.3%), further reinforce the area's distinct crime profile, which diverges from urban centres where theft and property-related offences dominate. These findings illustrate how local demographics and geography shape crime patterns, with Powys's rural setting likely playing a key role in its comparatively low crime rates.

May 2023 saw a 33.7% increase in anti-social behaviour incidents, rising from 101 to 135. This surge may be linked to May's extended evenings and bank holidays, which could encourage more outdoor socialising and associated disruptions. Conversely, vehicle crime plummeted by 91.7% (from 12 to 1), bicycle theft dropped by 80% (from 5 to 1), and shoplifting fell by 76.9% (from 26 to 6). These sharp declines in specific categories suggest either improved security measures, seasonal changes reducing opportunities for theft, or temporary factors such as local events that deter criminal activity. Powys's anti-social behaviour rate of 1.0 per 1,000 is 25% below the UK average of 1.3 per 1,000, while violence and sexual offences are 75% below the national rate. This stark contrast highlights how Powys's crime mix differs from the UK average, with a heavier emphasis on low-level disorder rather than more serious violent crime. For residents, the 70% reduction in shoplifting compared to the UK average (0.5 per 1,000) may indicate that local retail environments have effective deterrents or that the area's rural nature limits opportunities for such offences. These month-on-month shifts underscore the dynamic nature of crime trends, with certain categories fluctuating in response to both seasonal factors and local conditions.

Powys's crime rate in May 2023 (2.4 per 1,000) represents a 61.4% decrease from the previous month's rate of 6.2 per 1,000, illustrating a marked improvement in public safety over a short period. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 10 crimes per day in May, a figure that, while providing a concrete measure of local activity, must be contextualised within Powys's unique demographic profile. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 416 residents, a monthly exposure rate that is significantly lower than the UK average when scaled to local population size. This statistic offers a tangible perspective for residents: in a typical month, the likelihood of encountering a crime is much lower in Powys than in the UK as a whole. The population-scaled comparison also reveals that, for every 1,000 residents, Powys experiences 2.4 crimes compared to 8.0 nationally, a disparity that underscores the area's distinct safety profile. When viewed through the lens of local context, this low rate may be attributable to factors such as the area's rural nature, which often correlates with lower crime rates due to greater community oversight and fewer densely populated spaces where crime can thrive. These figures, while seemingly abstract, provide a clear benchmark for understanding how Powys's crime profile diverges from the national picture, offering reassurance to residents about the relative safety of their environment.