South Cambridgeshire Crime Rate December 2024 | Monthly Statistics

South Cambridgeshire’s December 2024 crime rate of 4.0 per 1,000 residents marked a significant 43.7% reduction compared to the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000. The area’s crime profile remained dominated by violence and sexual offences (38.7% of total crimes), followed by anti-social behaviour (13.4%) and criminal damage and arson (9.2%). These patterns align with the district’s characteristics as a largely rural and suburban area, where community-focused policing and lower population density may contribute to the sustained suppression of violent crime. Seasonal factors in December, including the Christmas shopping peak and extended evening darkness, likely influenced the distribution of incidents. For instance, the sharp rise in theft from the person—though still a small proportion of total crimes—may reflect increased foot traffic in retail hubs and the presence of unattended packages during the festive season. Conversely, the area’s consistently low rates for crimes like burglary (0.3 per 1,000) and vehicle crime (0.2 per 1,000) suggest that the local environment, characterised by spacious housing and limited urban congestion, creates fewer opportunities for such offences. The UK average comparisons further highlight South Cambridgeshire’s success in maintaining a crime rate that is well below national benchmarks, particularly in categories such as anti-social behaviour and public order offences, which are 47% and 33% lower than the UK averages, respectively. These figures reinforce the district’s standing as a relatively safe area, though the month’s data also underscores the need for vigilance in specific contexts, such as the surge in theft from the person, which may require targeted interventions during peak shopping periods.

December 2024 saw a dramatic 100% increase in theft from the person, rising from 2 to 4 incidents. This sharp rise contrasts with declines in other categories, such as bicycle theft, which fell by 33.3% (from 9 to 6). The surge in theft from the person may reflect the increased foot traffic in retail areas during the Christmas shopping period, though no direct causal link is confirmed. Public order offences also rose sharply by 38.2%, potentially linked to the festive season’s social gatherings and extended evening hours. South Cambridgeshire’s violent crime rate of 1.6 per 1,000 is 38% below the UK average, highlighting the area’s generally lower exposure to violent incidents despite the month’s seasonal dynamics. Meanwhile, possession of weapons and drug-related crimes both decreased by 33.3%, a trend that may be influenced by seasonal factors or local law enforcement initiatives.

South Cambridgeshire's crime rate in December 2024 fell by 5.4% compared to November, declining from 4.3 to 4.0 per 1,000 residents. This monthly drop aligns with broader seasonal patterns, as December’s extended evenings and holiday-related absences may temporarily reduce opportunities for certain crimes. Locally, the average daily crime count remained steady at approximately 22 incidents per day, though the distribution of crime types shifted notably. Over the course of the month, 1 in every 248 residents experienced a reported crime, a figure that contextualises the scale of incidents within the local population. This monthly exposure rate is consistent with the area’s overall low crime profile, which has consistently placed it well below the UK average. The population context further underscores that even with 696 total crimes, the rate remains significantly lower than the national benchmark, reflecting the district’s characteristics as a mix of rural and suburban communities with limited urban density.