Wheathampstead Crime Rate

Wheathampstead maintains a strong profile for safety, with an overall crime rate of 62.9 per 1,000 residents. This figure sits comfortably below the UK average of 91.7, contributing to an impressive safety score of 84/100. While the area is objectively secure compared to many national benchmarks, recent data indicates a trend of increasing activity, with a 19.9% rise in reported incidents year-over-year. This shift suggests that while the village remains a low-crime environment, residents should stay informed about local patterns. The following analysis provides a detailed breakdown of these statistics to help you understand the current safety landscape in Wheathampstead.

Crime Breakdown for Wheathampstead

In Wheathampstead, the criminal landscape is primarily defined by violence and sexual offences, which account for 43.8% of all reported incidents, with a rate of 27.5 per 1,000 residents. This is followed by anti-social behaviour at 19.8% and vehicle crime at 7.8%. While these figures provide a snapshot of local activity, they highlight the importance of personal safety and community vigilance.

Property crime in the area, which encompasses burglary, robbery, various forms of theft, and criminal damage, currently stands at a rate of 17.1 per 1,000 people. This is significantly lower than the UK average property crime rate of 32.3. Specifically, vehicle crime is the most prominent property-related issue, followed closely by criminal damage and arson. For residents, this suggests that while the overall risk of property-related offences is relatively low, securing vehicles and outbuildings remains a prudent measure to maintain the village's high safety standards.

Wheathampstead has seen a notable increase in crime over the past year, with a 19.9% rise in reported incidents compared to the previous 12-month period. Analysis of the monthly trendData reveals a somewhat volatile pattern; the crime rate per 1,000 residents started at 4.1 in December 2024 and saw significant peaks in June 2025 (8.4) and October 2025 (8.4). These spikes are balanced by quieter months, such as April 2025, where the rate dropped to 2.3. The overall upward trajectory suggests that while the village remains safe, there is a growing frequency of criminal reports. This trend may be driven by specific local events or a general increase in reporting within the St Albans local authority. For residents, this means that maintaining a consistent level of security is more important now than it has been in recent years.

How To Keep Safe in Wheathampstead

The most prevalent crime type in Wheathampstead is violence and sexual offences. While these figures often include a wide range of incidents, maintaining personal awareness is key to staying safe in the village.

To enhance your personal safety, consider the following advice:

• Stay aware of your surroundings when walking alone, especially during the evening hours, and stick to well-lit, familiar routes.
• Use personal safety apps that allow you to share your location with trusted contacts when travelling home late.
• If you find yourself in a situation that feels uncomfortable or escalating, trust your instincts and move to a public, well-populated area immediately.
• Report any suspicious behaviour or persistent anti-social activity to the local police to help them maintain an accurate picture of village safety.
• Encourage community vigilance by participating in local neighbourhood watch schemes, which serve as a powerful deterrent to opportunistic crime.

In Wheathampstead, crime patterns fluctuate significantly throughout the day. The morning and afternoon periods are particularly active for theft-related offences, with 41% and 47% of crimes in these windows being classified as theft. This suggests that opportunistic crimes are more common when residents are away from home or during business hours. Conversely, the night-time period sees a dramatic shift toward vehicle crime, which accounts for 52% of all incidents reported between midnight and 6am. This highlights a clear vulnerability for vehicles parked overnight. Anti-social behaviour and other offences tend to peak in the evening, representing 53% of the crime during those hours. Understanding these temporal trends allows residents to take targeted precautions, such as ensuring vehicles are extra secure at night and being more vigilant about property security during the working day.

When comparing Wheathampstead to its neighbours, it occupies a middle ground in terms of regional safety. It is notably safer than Sandridge, which has a higher crime rate of 81.9 per 1,000, and provides a quieter alternative to the busier urban centre of Harpenden (39.6 per 1,000). However, it does not match the near-zero crime figures of Lea Valley and Blackmore End, which are among the most secure rural pockets in the St Albans district. For those seeking a balance between village amenities and a secure residential environment, Wheathampstead remains a highly attractive option within the local authority.

With a property crime rate of 17.1 per 1,000, Wheathampstead residents benefit from a relatively secure environment, yet the recent 19.9% increase in overall crime suggests a need for modern security thinking. Traditional security often relies on reactive measures, such as cameras that record a burglary as it happens. In contrast, scOS offers a proactive approach designed to stop crime before it reaches your front door. By utilising AI-powered boundary detection, scOS identifies potential threats at the perimeter of your property, allowing for autonomous responses like light activation and verbal warnings. This creates a powerful deterrent that traditional DIY systems lack. In an area where vehicle crime is a notable concern, the ability of scOS to verify vehicle plates and recognise familiar routines ensures that you are only alerted to genuine threats, providing professional-grade protection that prioritises prevention over simple recording.