Cottenham Crime Rate July 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Cottenham's crime rate of 3.1 per 1,000 residents in July 2024 places it 63.1% below the UK average of 8.4, underscoring its position as one of the safer areas nationally. This built-up community within South Cambridgeshire experiences a crime profile that contrasts sharply with the national picture, with violence and sexual offences comprising 61.9% of all reported incidents. The dominance of violent crime over property crime is particularly notable, with 13 violent incidents compared to just 5 property crimes. This pattern may reflect the area's character as a small, densely populated community where interpersonal conflicts and social interactions are more concentrated. The seasonal context of July—with schools closed, tourism at its peak, and festivals in full swing—likely contributes to the higher incidence of violence, as extended social hours and increased foot traffic create environments where such incidents are more probable. Anti-social behaviour, while lower than the UK average, still accounts for 14.3% of all crimes, suggesting that community tensions or alcohol-related incidents during summer events may play a role. Vehicle crime, though low, saw a dramatic 100% increase from zero to two incidents, linked to the influx of visitors and the presence of parked vehicles in public spaces. These patterns illustrate a microcosm of UK crime dynamics, where local factors interact with broader seasonal trends to shape the monthly crime picture.

July saw a marked increase in violence and sexual offences, with an 85.7% rise from 7 to 13 incidents. This surge may partly reflect the summer season's impact, with festivals and extended daylight hours potentially contributing to higher social activity. Vehicle crime also spiked by 100%, jumping from zero to two incidents, a shift that could be linked to increased traffic during the month. Conversely, criminal damage and arson fell sharply by 66.7%, from three to one incident, due to reduced outdoor events or heightened community vigilance. Anti-social behaviour rose by 50%, from two to three incidents, though this remains well below the UK average of 1.4 per 1,000. The area's burglary rate halved from four to two incidents, continuing its trend of being just 3% above the UK average for this category. These fluctuations illustrate the dynamic nature of local crime patterns, even within a generally low-risk environment.

Cottenham's crime rate in July 2024 remained stable at 3.1 per 1,000 residents, matching the same figure recorded in June. This consistency suggests no significant short-term shifts in crime patterns, though the low rate continues to position the area as safer than the UK average. On a daily basis, the area experienced roughly one crime per day over the month, a figure that may feel more tangible to residents than aggregate statistics. When scaled to the local population, this translates to one reported crime occurring for every 328 residents over the course of the month, highlighting the relatively low frequency of incidents in a community of 6,881 people. This monthly exposure rate is particularly striking when compared to the UK's broader context, where the average resident faces far more frequent encounters with crime. The stability in the crime rate also means that the area's existing safety measures and community dynamics appear to be maintaining their effectiveness, at least for now.