Cottam (Preston) Crime Rate

Cottam (Preston) boasts a high safety profile, with an overall crime rate of 85.9 per 1,000 residents, which is comfortably below the UK national average of 91.6. This low frequency of incidents contributes to an excellent safety score of 81/100, outperforming the UK average of 79/100. Most encouragingly, the crime trend in Cottam is decreasing, with a significant 15.1% reduction year-over-year. This downward trajectory marks the area as one of the most rapidly improving neighbourhoods in the Preston locality. With a property crime rate of just 18.1 per 1,000, Cottam offers a secure environment for its growing population. This data, covering the period from January 2025 to December 2025, highlights Cottam as a premier choice for those seeking a safe, stable, and improving residential area.

Cottam (Preston) is primarily affected by anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences, and criminal damage and arson. Anti-social behaviour is the most common report, with 199 incidents accounting for 35.5% of all crime. Violence and sexual offences follow closely with 197 cases (35.1%), while criminal damage and arson make up 43 reports (7.7%).

The property crime rate in Cottam (Preston) is 18.1 per 1,000 people, which is significantly lower than the UK average of 32.2. This includes 26 instances of other theft, 20 burglaries, 15 vehicle crimes, and 10 shoplifting offences. There were also 3 robberies and 1 theft from the person recorded. For residents, these figures indicate that Cottam is a relatively low-risk area for property-related offences. However, with anti-social behaviour and criminal damage representing a combined 43% of all crime, homeowners should still focus on deterrents that protect the exterior of their properties and maintain the neighbourhood's overall security and appearance.

Cottam (Preston) is experiencing a very positive safety trend, with crime rates decreasing by 15.1% year-over-year. Monthly data from 2025 shows that the crime rate per 1,000 residents remained consistently low throughout most of the year. The year started with a rate of 6.9 in January, which dropped to the annual low of 3.8 in February.

Rates saw a moderate increase during the summer months, peaking in August at 10.0 per 1,000, which is still remarkably low compared to urban averages. Following this summer peak, crime rates declined again, finishing the year at 6.7 in December. This significant 15.1% overall reduction indicates a strengthening of community safety and suggests that Cottam is becoming an even more secure place to live. For residents, this downward trend provides strong reassurance that the area's safety is headed in the right direction.

How To Keep Safe in Cottam (Preston)

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) and violence are the most common reports in Cottam (Preston), together accounting for over 70% of all incidents. While the area is very safe, these issues can still impact the local community's sense of security.

To maintain your safety in Cottam, consider these actionable steps:

• Ensure your property is well-lit at night; motion-activated lighting can discourage loitering and make your home a less attractive target for anti-social activity.
• Be an active part of the community by joining local social media groups or neighbourhood watch schemes to stay informed about any local issues or suspicious activity.
• Report all instances of anti-social behaviour, such as nuisance noise or vandalism, to the local council or police; this ensures that resources are directed where they are most needed.
• If you are walking in the area after dark, stick to the main, well-lit pedestrian paths that connect the different residential phases of Cottam.
• Keep your vehicle clear of any visible items, even those of low value, to prevent opportunistic criminal damage or theft.

Crime in Cottam (Preston) follows clear time-based patterns. During the morning (6am - 12pm) and afternoon (12pm - 6pm), theft is the most frequent crime type, accounting for 39% and 42% of reports respectively. The afternoon also sees a rise in burglary, which makes up 22% of incidents in that period. As evening (6pm - 12am) falls, 'other' crimes, primarily anti-social behaviour, become dominant at 55%. The night-time period (12am - 6am) shows a significant shift toward vehicle crime (30%) and burglary (23%). These trends suggest that while daytime activity is largely opportunistic and theft-related, the late afternoon and night-time hours present the greatest risk to residential property and vehicles.

When compared to its neighbours, Cottam (Preston) holds a very favourable position. Its crime rate of 85.9 is lower than the nearby suburb of Fulwood (88.7) and dramatically lower than central Preston (186.9) and Broughton (121.4). While it cannot match the zero-crime reports of the deeply rural Woodplumpton or Lea Town, it offers a much safer environment than the more developed urban centres. For residents, Cottam provides the benefits of a modern residential development with a crime profile that is among the lowest for built-up areas in the region. The 15.1% decrease in crime further cements its status as a leading safe-haven for families and professionals in the Preston area.

Cottam (Preston) is a safe area, but with anti-social behaviour and criminal damage making up a large portion of local reports, maintaining the integrity of your property's exterior is key. Traditional security systems, such as standard CCTV or doorbell cameras, are reactive; they record events as they happen or after the fact. In a high-quality residential area like Cottam, the goal should be to prevent any incident from occurring in the first place.

The scOS AI-powered operating system provides this proactive level of protection. By using multi-camera intelligence, scOS monitors your property boundaries 24/7. It is designed to identify suspicious patterns—such as someone loitering or checking car doors—and intervene autonomously. By activating lights or audio deterrents, scOS removes the opportunity for a crime to occur, often causing the individual to move on before any damage is done. For Cottam residents, this means moving beyond simple video recording to an intelligent, professional-grade system that actively defends the home. In an area where crime is already low and decreasing, scOS helps ensure it stays that way for your property.