Combe St Nicholas Crime Rate

Combe St Nicholas Crime Overview

Combe St Nicholas is a highly secure urban settlement with an impressive safety score of 92/100, significantly outperforming the UK average of 78. The area's overall crime rate stands at 30.7 per 1,000 residents, which is less than a third of the national average of 93.1. This makes it one of the safest locations in South Somerset. However, it is important to note that crime has seen a sharp increase of 111.4% year-over-year. While this jump is from a historically very low base, it indicates a changing trend that residents should monitor. The following analysis explores the local crime breakdown, with a particular focus on the unusually high proportion of burglary for such a safe area.

Crime Breakdown in Combe St Nicholas

Combe St Nicholas presents a distinct crime profile where violence and sexual offences are the primary concern, making up 43.2% of all incidents. However, of significant note for homeowners is the high prevalence of burglary, which accounts for 20.3% of total crime. Anti-social behaviour follows as the third most common type at 13.5%. This distribution indicates that property-related crime is a substantial factor in the local landscape.

The overall property crime rate in Combe St Nicholas is 11.7 per 1,000 residents. While this is lower than the UK average of 32.9, the fact that burglary is the second most common crime type is unusual for an area with such a high safety score. This suggests that when crime does occur in the village, it is frequently targeted at residential properties. For residents, this means that while the general environment is very safe, specific attention must be paid to securing homes against intrusion, particularly as burglary rates are consistently high across all times of day.

Combe St Nicholas Crime Trends

The crime rate in Combe St Nicholas has seen a dramatic increase of 111.4% over the past year. While the overall numbers are still low compared to national averages, this trend is significant. Monthly data shows that the rate was relatively stable at the end of 2024, hovering between 2.1 and 3.3 per 1,000. However, a notable spike occurred in February 2025, when the rate jumped to 7.1.

Following this peak, the crime rate fluctuated, dropping to a low of 0.4 in June 2025 before rising again to 3.3 in August. The latter half of 2025 has seen more consistent activity compared to the start of the previous year. This volatility suggests that while Combe St Nicholas remains a very safe area, the recent upward trend and periodic spikes in activity warrant a more proactive approach to local security and community awareness than in previous years.

How To Keep Safe in Combe St Nicholas

The highest crime type in Combe St Nicholas is violence and sexual offences, followed closely by a high percentage of burglary. Given that burglary is exceptionally prevalent for such a safe area, residents should focus heavily on residential security.

To maintain your safety in Combe St Nicholas, we recommend:

• Prioritise Home Security: With burglary making up over 20% of all crime, ensure all doors and windows have high-quality locks. Don't forget to secure outbuildings and garages, which can be easier targets.
• Be Mindful in the Afternoons: Statistics show that burglary accounts for 68% of crimes between 12pm and 6pm. Ensure your home looks occupied during these hours by using light timers or smart home devices.
• Boundary Vigilance: Use proactive security measures like scOS to detect movement at your property line. Early detection is the best way to prevent a break-in before it happens.
• Join Local Watch Schemes: Community awareness is a strong deterrent. Stay in touch with neighbours and report any suspicious vehicles or individuals to the local South Somerset authorities.
• Vehicle Awareness: While car crime is low, always lock your vehicle and avoid leaving any items, even low-value ones, on display, as this can attract opportunist thieves.

Crime Timing in Combe St Nicholas

Crime timing in Combe St Nicholas is heavily dominated by burglary across all periods. The afternoon (12pm - 6pm) is the most critical time for this offence, where burglary accounts for a significant 68% of all reported crimes. This is followed closely by the night-time period (12am - 6am), where burglary makes up 66% of local offences.

Even during the morning (6am - 12pm) and evening (6pm - 12am), burglary remains the primary threat, representing 52% and 54% of crimes respectively. Other types of crime, such as theft and vehicle crime, remain consistently low throughout the 24-hour cycle. This data suggests that criminal activity in Combe St Nicholas is highly focused on residential targets, making 24-hour proactive home monitoring an essential consideration for local residents.

Local Safety Context

In the context of the South Somerset region, Combe St Nicholas remains a very safe haven. It is dramatically more secure than the nearby town of Chard, which has a crime rate of 112.8 per 1,000 people—nearly four times higher. Compared to its more rural neighbours like Wadeford, Horton and Broadway, and Bishopswood, which all reported 0.0 crimes per 1,000, Combe St Nicholas is more active, but this is expected given its larger population. For those seeking a balance between a community feel and high safety, Combe St Nicholas is a standout performer in the local area.

Proactive Protection in Combe St Nicholas

With burglary accounting for over 20% of all crime in Combe St Nicholas, and property crime occurring at a rate of 11.7 per 1,000, homeowners must look beyond basic security. Traditional CCTV systems often only provide footage of a crime after it has occurred. In a village where burglary is the second most common offence, the priority should be stopping an intruder before they even reach your door.

The scOS AI-powered security operating system offers a proactive solution. By monitoring multiple cameras simultaneously with intelligent threat detection, scOS can identify someone on your property boundary in real-time. Instead of a notification on your phone while someone is already inside, scOS can trigger autonomous responses like activating security lights or audio warnings. This destroys the element of surprise that burglars rely on. For Combe St Nicholas residents, moving from reactive recording to proactive AI protection means your security system is working to prevent the 111.4% increase in local crime from affecting your home. Professional-grade AI signals to criminals that your property is not an easy target, encouraging them to move on immediately.