Highworth Crime Rate

Introduction to Crime in Highworth

Highworth, a built-up area with a population of 8,432, benefits from a remarkably low overall crime rate of 46.5 per 1,000 residents per year. This figure is significantly below the national average UK crime rate of 93.4 per 1,000, establishing Highworth as a very safe community. The area achieves an impressive safety score of 89 out of 100, far exceeding the UK average safety score of 78. Crime trends in Highworth have remained stable over the past year, showing a modest increase of 4.3% year-over-year. This stability, coupled with a low overall rate, provides a reassuring context for the detailed crime statistics and patterns discussed in the following sections.

Crime Breakdown in Highworth

An analysis of crime types in Highworth reveals that violence and sexual offences are the most prevalent, accounting for 145 crimes, or 37.0% of the total, at a rate of 17.2 per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is the second most common issue, with 76 reported incidents, making up 19.4% of all crimes at 9.0 per 1,000 people. Public order offences rank as the third highest crime type, with 41 cases, representing 10.5% of the total and a rate of 4.9 per 1,000 residents.

Focusing on property-related crime, which directly impacts residents and homeowners, Highworth records a very low rate of 13.4 per 1,000 people per year. This category includes burglary (18 crimes), other theft (20 crimes), vehicle crime (30 crimes), criminal damage and arson (31 crimes), shoplifting (13 crimes), and robbery (1 crime). This property crime rate is substantially lower than the UK average of 33.2 per 1,000, reinforcing Highworth's high safety score. While these figures are very encouraging, residents are still encouraged to maintain robust home security measures, particularly given the presence of vehicle crime and criminal damage within the top property-related offences.

Crime Trends in Highworth

Over the past year, Highworth has experienced a stable crime trend, showing a year-over-year increase of 4.3%. While an increase, this is from a very low base, and the overall crime rate remains significantly below the national average. Examining the monthly trend data provides a more granular view of these changes. The crime rate per 1,000 residents started at 3.4 in October 2024, dipped to 2.7 in November, then rose to 4.6 in December and 4.7 in January 2025. It fluctuated around this level, reaching 5.7 in April before declining again. The latter part of the year, from May to September, saw rates generally between 3.0 and 3.7. This pattern suggests some monthly variations, but no consistent upward surge. For residents, despite the slight increase, Highworth maintains its status as a very safe area, and being aware of these subtle monthly shifts can help in maintaining vigilance.

Crime Time Patterns in Highworth

Crime patterns in Highworth exhibit distinct characteristics throughout the day. During the morning hours (6am - 12pm), theft is the most significant crime type at 32%, followed by vehicle crime at 27% and burglary at 14%. The afternoon period (12pm - 6pm) sees theft remaining high at 38%, with burglary notably increasing to 26% and vehicle crime at 11%. As the day progresses into the evening (6pm - 12am), 'other' crimes become most prevalent at 40%, while vehicle crime remains high at 26% and burglary is at 21%. Night-time hours (12am - 6am) are characterised by a significant peak in vehicle crime at 53% and burglary at 20%, with theft reducing to 5%. These temporal patterns highlight the need for enhanced property security during daytime for theft and burglary, and particularly robust vehicle security overnight.

Crime in Nearby Areas

To offer a broader perspective on local safety, Highworth's crime statistics can be compared with its adjacent built-up areas. These include South Marston, Shrivenham and Watchfield, Stratton St Margaret, and Broad Blunsdon. Highworth's overall crime rate of 46.5 per 1,000 is substantially lower than the UK average, and its safety score of 89/100 is significantly higher than the national benchmark. This positions Highworth as one of the safest communities within the wider Swindon local authority. Examining these comparisons provides residents with valuable regional context, helping them understand how their community's safety profile compares to its immediate neighbours.

Home Security and Protection

Given Highworth's exceptionally low property crime rate of 13.4 per 1,000 residents, it is clear that this is a very safe area. However, even in the safest communities, maintaining proactive security measures is a sensible approach. Relying on reactive security solutions, such as traditional CCTV cameras like Ring or Nest, primarily provides recordings of a burglary after it has already occurred. Similarly, many DIY systems only alert you once an intruder is already on your property, leaving you to respond to an ongoing event.

For homeowners seeking to prevent crime entirely, AI-powered systems like scOS offer a superior solution. scOS is engineered to detect and deter threats at the very boundary of your property, stopping intruders before they can gain access. With its multi-camera intelligence, scOS watches all cameras simultaneously, learning your daily routines to differentiate between family and genuine threats, drastically reducing false alarms. This proactive approach is vital, as most burglars make a decision within 60 seconds of approaching a property. By autonomously activating lights and engaging speakers, scOS destroys the element of surprise, sending a clear message that the property is professionally protected and not an easy target. Investing in such advanced security provides genuine peace of mind by actively preventing crime, rather than just recording it.