Royal Tunbridge Wells Crime Rate January 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Royal Tunbridge Wells, a historic built-up area within Tunbridge Wells, recorded a crime rate of 6.1 per 1,000 residents in January 2025—a figure 14.1% below the UK average. This performance, while modest, reflects the area’s character as a relatively low-crime urban centre with a mix of residential, retail, and cultural spaces. The most common crime type was violence and sexual offences, accounting for 35.5% of all incidents, followed by shoplifting (14.8%) and anti-social behaviour (12.4%). These figures align with the area’s demographic and geographic profile: a town with a strong retail presence, which may contribute to higher shoplifting rates despite the month’s reduced footfall. Violence, meanwhile, is consistent with the presence of public spaces and nightlife areas that remain active even in winter. Seasonal context plays a role: January’s shorter days and post-holiday lull likely dampened outdoor crime, though this may be offset by indoor activities in local venues. The UK average for violence and sexual offences is 2.5 per 1,000, meaning Royal Tunbridge Wells’ rate of 2.2 per 1,000 is 12% below the national benchmark. This suggests effective policing or community initiatives in managing violent crime, though the shoplifting anomaly remains unexplained by the data alone. The area’s crime profile thus presents a mix of strengths and unique challenges, with local factors shaping outcomes more than national trends.

January 2025 saw significant fluctuations in specific crime categories. Possession of weapons rose by 200%, increasing from 1 to 3 incidents—a sharp upward trend that may reflect seasonal or situational factors. Concurrently, vehicle crime surged by 62.5%, rising from 8 to 13 cases, potentially linked to post-holiday vehicle movement patterns. In contrast, shoplifting fell by 18.6%, declining from 59 to 48, a drop that could be attributed to reduced retail activity during the post-holiday period. Public order offences also decreased by 15.8%, from 19 to 16, suggesting a quieter start to the year in public spaces. Shoplifting remained 45% above the UK average, a persistent outlier despite the month-on-month decline. This disparity highlights the area’s unique challenges in retail crime management compared to national trends. Residents may find the 10 daily crime figure useful for contextualising local safety levels.

Royal Tunbridge Wells recorded a crime rate of 6.1 per 1,000 residents in January 2025, a 2.1% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 6.3. This decline aligns with typical seasonal patterns, as January often sees reduced retail footfall and fewer outdoor activities, both of which may contribute to lower crime rates. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 10 crimes per day—a figure that, while consistent with local rhythms, remains below the UK average. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 163 residents, a monthly exposure rate that underscores the area’s relatively low crime profile compared to national benchmarks. When scaled to the population of 52,894, the 324 total crimes equate to a manageable level of risk for residents, with the majority of incidents concentrated in specific categories such as violence and shoplifting. This monthly context provides a clear snapshot of how crime is distributed across the built-up area, offering residents a tangible sense of safety relative to broader UK trends.