Sawston Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Sawston’s crime rate in January 2024 stood at 4.0 per 1,000 residents, significantly lower than the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000—a 45.9% deficit. This marked improvement underscores a broader trend in the built-up area, where crime has historically remained below national benchmarks. The most common crimes were violence and sexual offences (51.7% of total incidents), followed by property crimes (34.5%). These figures suggest a persistent focus on interpersonal issues over property-related offences, a pattern consistent with smaller, closely-knit communities where social cohesion may mitigate certain types of crime. Seasonal factors likely influenced this month’s data: January’s shorter days and post-holiday lull in retail activity may have reduced opportunities for shoplifting or theft from the person. The relatively low rate of property crime—particularly burglary, which remained 11% above the UK average—may reflect the area’s character as a commuter suburb with fewer high-value targets or a higher proportion of residential properties with security measures. However, the absence of detailed demographic data means these conclusions remain hedged, relying on general assumptions about the area’s socioeconomic profile. The overall picture indicates that while Sawston remains safer than the UK average, targeted interventions may still be needed to address specific categories like burglary and anti-social behaviour, which showed notable increases.

January 2024 saw a significant 83.3% decrease in 'other theft' incidents, dropping from six to one. This decline may align with post-holiday reductions in retail activity and fewer opportunities for opportunistic theft. Conversely, burglary increased by 200% (from one to three incidents), a sharp rise that could reflect seasonal shifts in home occupancy or changes in local patterns. Anti-social behaviour also doubled, and criminal damage and arson rose from zero to three, suggesting potential increases in community tensions or environmental factors. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 51.7% of all crimes, though this category remains 19% below the UK average. These figures highlight a mixed picture, where some categories improved dramatically while others saw troubling increases, requiring further attention from local authorities and residents.

Sawston's crime rate in January 2024 rose by 26.0% compared to December 2023, moving from 3.2 to 4.0 per 1,000 residents. While this increase marks a shift, the daily crime count remains low at approximately one reported incident per day over the 31-day period. This translates to a monthly exposure of one crime for every 252 residents, a figure that contextualises the scale of incidents against the local population of 7,304. The rise in overall crime contrasts with the area’s historically low rates. below the UK average. The shift may partly reflect seasonal factors, such as post-holiday activity or changes in local routines from the data alone. This perspective helps residents understand that while crime has increased slightly, the absolute numbers remain manageable within the community’s size and structure.