Balsall Common Crime Rate May 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Balsall Common’s crime rate in May 2023 stood at 4.7 per 1,000 residents, 41.2% below the UK average of 8.0 per 1,000. This figure marks a continued trend of relative safety for the built-up area, though two crime types—burglary and violence and sexual offences—each accounted for 25.6% of total crimes, highlighting areas requiring closer attention. The seasonal context of May, with its bank holidays and extended evening hours, likely contributed to shifts in activity patterns, potentially increasing opportunities for property crimes and public disorder. Burglary, though not typically a dominant category in urban centres, rose sharply to 10 incidents in May, a 287% increase above the UK average for this category. This spike, combined with the 25.6% share of total crimes, suggests a need for heightened vigilance around residential properties, particularly as outdoor socialising and evening activity intensify. Violence and sexual offences, while lower than the UK average, remain a consistent concern, reflecting the area’s character as a mixed-use neighbourhood with both residential and commercial zones. The overall crime profile indicates that while Balsall Common remains safer than the UK average, targeted measures may be needed to address the specific vulnerabilities exposed by the month’s data.

May 2023 saw a dramatic 900% increase in burglary, rising from 1 to 10 incidents—a figure 287% above the UK average for this category. This surge, occurring alongside a 100% rise in anti-social behaviour and other crime, signals a concerning shift in the area’s crime profile. While vehicle crime dropped by 42.9% (from 7 to 4), this reduction may be partly attributed to the typical seasonal pattern of reduced car-related incidents during warmer months. Violence and sexual offences decreased by 23.1%, though they still constitute a significant 25.6% of total crimes. Residents should be particularly alert to the sharp rise in burglary, which now exceeds the UK average by a wide margin. The breakdown also reveals that other theft and public order crimes fell below UK averages, suggesting that some aspects of community safety remain resilient. However, the doubling of anti-social behaviour incidents—now at 4, or 10.3% of total crimes—may indicate growing pressures in local public spaces, especially as May’s longer evenings encourage more outdoor activity.

Balsall Common’s crime rate in May 2023 (4.7 per 1,000) marked an 11.3% increase compared to the previous month’s rate of 4.2 per 1,000, reflecting a notable upward trend. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 1 crime per day in May, a figure that, while low, underscores the need for ongoing awareness. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 212 residents, illustrating the relatively low frequency of incidents in this built-up area. This monthly exposure rate—when contextualised against the population of 8,281—demonstrates that the vast majority of residents are not directly affected by crime on a daily basis. However, the 11.3% rise from April to May highlights a potential inflection point in the area’s crime trajectory. While the overall rate remains significantly below the UK average, the increase in specific categories such as burglary and anti-social behaviour suggests that local factors may be contributing to this shift. The contrast with the UK average also reveals that Balsall Common’s residents face a markedly lower risk of certain crimes, such as public order offences and other theft, which are 70% and 32% below national levels respectively.