Cottenham Crime Rate September 2023 | Monthly Statistics

September 2023 marked the most dramatic single-month shift in violent crime for Cottenham, a built-up area within South Cambridgeshire. The rate of violence and sexual offences fell by 46.2% compared to August, driven by a reduction from 13 to 7 incidents. This decline, coupled with an overall crime rate of 3.2 per 1,000 residents—60% below the UK average of 8.0—reflects a broader trend of low-level crime in this rural-adjacent community. The top three crime types accounted for 63.6% of the total: violence and sexual offences (31.8%), anti-social behaviour (18.2%), and public order offences (13.6%). Seasonal factors likely played a role, as September coincides with the start of the academic year, potentially increasing community vigilance and reducing opportunities for antisocial activity. While the area’s crime profile remains significantly safer than the UK average, the rise in drugs-related incidents (from 0 to 1) and bicycle theft (from 0 to 1) suggests new challenges emerging in a region with growing commuter traffic and student populations. These shifts, though minor in scale, warrant attention to local policing priorities and community engagement strategies.

The most striking month-on-month change was a 46.2% reduction in violence and sexual offences, with incidents dropping from 13 to 7. This decrease may partly explain the overall 35.2% decline in the area’s crime rate compared to August. Meanwhile, three categories saw 100% increases from zero to one incident: drugs-related offences, possession of weapons, and bicycle theft. These spikes, though small in absolute terms, indicate potential new risks, particularly as bicycle theft aligns with the area’s commuter demographics. Violence and sexual offences in Cottenham remain 64% below the UK average (2.7 per 1,000), while anti-social behaviour is 55% below the national rate (1.3 per 1,000). The rise in drugs-related offences, however, contrasts with the UK average of 0.2 per 1,000, where Cottenham’s rate is now equal. For residents, the daily crime count of one incident per day—equivalent to roughly 1-in-313 residents over the month—provides a tangible sense of the area’s safety, though the shift in drug-related crime may prompt closer scrutiny of local support services.

Cottenham’s crime rate in September 2023 (3.2 per 1,000) represented a 35.2% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.9 per 1,000, underscoring a sustained trend of low crime. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately one reported crime every 30 days, a figure that translates to a local monthly exposure of one crime for every 313 residents. This is markedly lower than the UK average, where the national monthly exposure is significantly higher. The population context further highlights the area’s safety: with 6,881 residents, the 22 total crimes reported in September equate to a crime rate that is 60% below the UK average. This disparity may reflect Cottenham’s character as a low-density built-up area with limited commercial activity compared to major urban centres. While the rate of violent crime remains lower than the UK average, the increase in drugs-related offences and bicycle theft suggests emerging challenges that could be linked to the area’s role as a commuter hub. These shifts, though minor, indicate the need for targeted interventions to address new crime patterns without compromising the area’s overall safety profile.