Rural South Gloucestershire Crime Rate

Rural South Gloucestershire is characterized by a high degree of safety, reflected in its safety score of 84/100. This score is notably higher than the UK average of 79/100. The area's overall crime rate stands at 59.8 per 1,000 people per year, which is significantly lower than the national average of 91.7. Recent data for the period from December 2024 to November 2025 shows a stable trend, with a slight decrease of 5.0% in total crime compared to the previous year. This suggests a consistently secure environment for its 17,614 residents. While the area is safe, the presence of property-related crimes like burglary highlights the importance of maintaining robust home security.

Rural South Gloucestershire experiences a crime landscape where violence and sexual offences are the most frequent reports, accounting for 49.6% of the total with 523 recorded incidents. Anti-social behaviour is the second most common issue (10.1%), followed closely by burglary, which represents 8.5% of all crime in the area.

Property-related crime—including burglary, theft, vehicle crime, and criminal damage—maintains a combined rate of 17.1 per 1,000 residents. This is significantly lower than the UK average of 32.3, suggesting that homes in Rural South Gloucestershire are generally more secure than those in more urban environments. However, burglary is a notable factor here, with 90 incidents reported over the year. Vehicle crime accounts for 4.2% of the total. For residents, the data indicates that while personal safety is the primary statistical concern, property security—specifically preventing burglary—remains a high priority for homeowners, especially given that burglary figures are more prominent here than in many other local settlements.

The crime trend in Rural South Gloucestershire is currently stable, with a 5.0% year-over-year decrease. Monthly analysis shows that crime rates fluctuate within a narrow band, typically between 4.0 and 6.1 per 1,000 residents. January and November 2025 were the peak months, both recording a rate of 6.1, which may be linked to the longer hours of darkness during the winter season. Conversely, the summer months, particularly June, saw the lowest activity at 4.0 per 1,000. This pattern suggests a seasonal influence on local crime, with winter months posing a slightly higher risk. For residents, this stability is a positive sign, indicating that the area remains consistently safe without sudden spikes in criminal activity.

How To Keep Safe in Rural South Gloucestershire

Violence and sexual offences are the most frequently reported crimes in Rural South Gloucestershire. While these statistics often include domestic incidents, personal safety in public and around the home remains paramount.

1. Secure Your Perimeter: As burglary is a top-three crime, ensure your property's boundary is well-defined and secure. Use high-quality locks on all gates and outbuildings.
2. Be Alert at Night: Burglary and vehicle crime peak between 12am and 6am. Use motion-activated lighting around your driveway and home entrances to deter intruders.
3. Join Local Watch Schemes: Rural areas benefit greatly from community vigilance. Stay in touch with neighbours and report any suspicious vehicles or individuals to the local police.
4. Personal Safety Awareness: When walking in isolated rural areas, let someone know your route and expected return time. Carry a fully charged phone and stay aware of your surroundings.
5. Protect High-Value Equipment: If you have expensive garden machinery or bicycles, ensure they are not visible from the road and are anchored to the floor inside a secure building.

Crime in Rural South Gloucestershire shows distinct temporal patterns. During the morning and afternoon, theft is the primary concern, accounting for 46% of all incidents. Burglary risk is also significant during these daylight hours, representing 21% of morning crimes and rising to 32% in the afternoon. This suggests that properties are often targeted when residents are away at work. As night falls, the nature of crime shifts; between 12am and 6am, burglary reaches its peak at 38% of all offences, and vehicle crime surges to 28%. This high night-time burglary rate is particularly notable for a rural area, indicating that criminals may be using the cover of darkness and relative isolation to target homes. Residents should prioritize night-time security and ensure vehicles are parked as securely as possible.

Rural South Gloucestershire sits as a more secure alternative to the surrounding urban hubs. While specific neighbouring BUAs like Patchway or Kingswood see higher crime rates closer to or above the national average, the rural areas maintain a more tranquil profile. For residents, this provides a balance of accessibility to regional amenities with the safety benefits of a lower-density population. Compared to the wider local authority, the rural sections typically report fewer incidents of anti-social behaviour and public order offences, though the vast geography means that response times can vary, making self-protection and proactive home security even more vital for those in isolated properties.

In Rural South Gloucestershire, the property crime rate of 17.1 per 1,000 is lower than the UK average, but burglary remains a significant concern, appearing in the top three crime types. For homeowners in more isolated rural settings, traditional security measures often fall short. A standard alarm or DIY camera might tell you a crime has happened, but in a rural area, help may be minutes away. scOS changes this dynamic by offering proactive protection. Using AI to monitor your entire property boundary, scOS detects threats the moment they step onto your land. It doesn't just record; it intervenes. By activating lights and speakers autonomously, it destroys the element of surprise that burglars rely on. In an area where burglary accounts for 8.5% of all crime, having a system that prevents a break-in before it happens is the ultimate safeguard for your home and family. Moving from reactive recording to autonomous prevention ensures your property remains a hard target.