The question of whether there are specific rural crime trends affecting Minchinhampton is unfortunately answered in the affirmative. Data reveals a concerning increase in crime within the Minchinhampton Built-Up Area (BUA) in Stroud. As of the available data, the crime rate stands at 55.6 incidents per 1,000 residents. To provide context, the UK average is significantly higher at 91.6 per 1,000, however, the recent trend is what’s particularly noteworthy.
Over the past year, Minchinhampton has experienced a substantial increase in crime, registering a 22.1% year-on-year (YoY) rise. While the overall crime rate remains below the national average, this upward trend indicates a developing pattern that warrants attention. It's important to note that ‘rural crime’ encompasses a broad range of offences, including theft (particularly of machinery and livestock), fly-tipping, poaching, and arson, alongside more traditional crimes. Specifics on which types of crime are driving this increase aren’t provided in the data, but the overall increase is clear.
Despite the rising crime trend, Minchinhampton maintains a relatively high safety score of 88 out of 100, which is considerably better than the UK average of 79. This suggests that while crime is increasing, residents still generally perceive the area as safe. The population of Minchinhampton BUA is 4484, meaning the increase in crime incidents represents a significant proportion of the community. The data focuses solely on the BUA of Minchinhampton within Stroud, so broader rural crime trends in the surrounding area are not represented here. Further investigation would be needed to determine if these trends are localised to Minchinhampton or part of a wider pattern affecting the Stroud district.