Bexhill-on-Sea Crime Rate March 2024 | Monthly Statistics

For Bexhill-on-Sea’s population of 44,697, 395 crimes were recorded in March 2024, translating to a crime rate of 8.8 per 1,000 residents. This rate is 14.3% higher than the UK average of 7.7 per 1,000, reflecting a pattern of elevated crime relative to national trends. The most common crimes were violence and sexual offences (33.9% of total), followed by anti-social behaviour (16.7%) and shoplifting (14.4%). These figures align with the area’s character as a coastal town with a mix of residential, retail, and tourist activity, which may contribute to higher rates of anti-social behaviour and shoplifting during the transition to spring. March, with its lengthening evenings and the clocks changing, likely influenced activity patterns, increasing opportunities for crimes such as public order offences and anti-social behaviour in the early evening. The prevalence of violence and sexual offences—12% above the UK average—could be linked to the town’s proximity to larger urban centres, where such crimes are more commonly reported. Shoplifting, at 113% above the UK average, may be driven by the town’s retail presence, particularly during the pre-Easter shopping period. These trends highlight the need to consider both seasonal factors and the area’s specific demographic and geographic characteristics when interpreting crime data.

March 2024 saw a stark increase in burglary, rising by 200% compared to February (6 to 18 incidents), a shift that may reflect heightened vulnerability during the spring transition as households prepare for warmer weather and open windows. Theft from the person and bicycle theft both doubled from zero to one incident each, marking unusual spikes that could indicate targeted opportunistic crimes during the early spring period. Conversely, drug-related offences fell by 50%, and possession of weapons dropped by 33.3%, suggesting a possible reduction in illicit activity or improved enforcement in these areas. The breakdown of crime types reveals a significant imbalance compared to the UK average, with shoplifting (1.3 per 1,000) and anti-social behaviour (1.5 per 1,000) both exceeding UK rates by over 100% and 29%, respectively. This contrast is particularly notable for shoplifting, which is 113% above the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000. Residents might find the shoplifting statistics particularly relevant, as they could indicate vulnerabilities in local retail security measures or increased foot traffic during the March shopping window.

Bexhill-on-Sea’s crime rate in March 2024 rose sharply from 6.4 per 1,000 in February, marking a 38.6% increase. This jump places the area’s monthly crime rate at 8.8 per 1,000, a figure that translates to roughly 13 crimes per day over the 31-day period. For context, this means that, on average, one resident in every 113 experienced a reported crime during March—a monthly exposure rate that underscores the concentration of incidents within the built-up area. When viewed against the UK average, the disparity is most pronounced in shoplifting and anti-social behaviour, where local rates are 113% and 29% higher than national figures, respectively. However, the data also reveals pockets of lower-than-average crime in categories such as vehicle crime (15% below UK average) and other theft (27% below), which may reflect the area’s relatively lower density of car parking facilities or fewer high-value retail assets compared to urban centres. These contrasting trends highlight the importance of localized factors in shaping crime patterns, even within a coastal town that shares broader UK seasonal rhythms.