Ashton-in-Makerfield Crime Rate March 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Ashton-in-Makerfield's crime rate in March 2023 stood at 0.2 per 1,000 residents, placing it 97.4% below the UK average of 7.6 per 1,000. This exceptionally low rate reflects a consistent pattern of safety in the built-up area, which is part of the larger St. Helens borough. The breakdown of crimes reveals a balanced distribution between violent and property offences, with violence and sexual offences accounting for 50% of all reported incidents, followed by other theft and burglary at 25% each. This distribution contrasts with broader UK trends, where violent crime typically dominates. March, a transitional month as clocks change and daylight hours increase, may have contributed to the low crime rate by encouraging more public activity and reducing opportunities for crime in dimly lit areas. The area’s relatively low population density and the presence of community-focused infrastructure likely play a role in maintaining this safety profile, though can be established without further data. The absence of significant spikes in any particular crime category suggests that existing policing efforts and community initiatives may be effectively mitigating risks. However, the low overall rate also raises questions about the adequacy of data collection methods, as such a sparse number of incidents could obscure underlying patterns. Residents should remain vigilant, particularly during the transition to spring, as changing weather and increased foot traffic could inadvertently create new vulnerabilities.

March 2023 saw violence and sexual offences account for exactly half of all reported crimes in Ashton-in-Makerfield, a figure that is 96% below the UK average for this category. Other theft and burglary each contributed 25% of total crimes, both significantly underperforming the UK averages by 83% and 70% respectively. This stark contrast highlights the area’s exceptional safety profile, though it also raises questions about the representativeness of such low numbers. For context, the UK average for violence and sexual offences is 2.7 per 1,000 residents, meaning Ashton-in-Makerfield’s rate of 0.1 per 1,000 is nearly 10 times lower. Residents should note that while the overall crime rate is reassuringly low, the small absolute numbers mean that even minor fluctuations could have a disproportionate impact on statistics. The absence of any significant month-on-month increase in crime is notable, suggesting that current safety measures are holding steady. However, the lack of data on previous months limits the ability to identify long-term trends. The balance between violent and property crimes may also reflect the area’s character, with its mix of residential and commercial zones reducing opportunities for more targeted crimes like vehicle theft or burglary. This distribution is atypical compared to larger urban centres, where property crime often dominates.

In March 2023, Ashton-in-Makerfield recorded 4 total crimes over 31 days, equating to roughly 0 crimes per day. This daily figure is exceptionally low compared to other areas, though no UK-wide daily benchmark is available for direct comparison. On a monthly basis, the data shows that one reported crime occurred for roughly every 4,381 residents, a statistic that underscores the rarity of incidents in this built-up area. Given the population of 17,524, this means that the likelihood of any individual experiencing crime is minimal, though the small absolute numbers mean that the data may not fully capture local nuances. The area’s crime profile is also distinct when scaled to the UK average: for every 1,000 residents, Ashton-in-Makerfield experiences 0.2 crimes compared to the UK’s 7.6, a disparity that highlights its status as an outlier in terms of safety. This comparison is particularly striking for violence and sexual offences, where the area’s rate is nearly 10 times lower than the UK average. While such figures are encouraging, they also suggest that the area’s crime prevention strategies may be so effective that they have pushed rates to levels that could be difficult to sustain without additional challenges emerging. Residents should note that these statistics do not reflect a lack of policing but rather a combination of community engagement, environmental design, and demographic factors that reduce opportunities for crime.