Vale of Glamorgan Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

In January 2024, the Vale of Glamorgan recorded a crime rate of 6.7 per 1,000 residents, 9.5% below the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000. This local authority district, spanning coastal, rural, and urban areas, saw a notable balance between property and violent crime, with property crimes (367 incidents) narrowly outpacing violent crimes (332 incidents). The most prevalent crime category was violence and sexual offences (36.3% of total crimes), followed by shoplifting (15.2%) and public order offences (10.4%). This distribution suggests a combination of local demographics and environmental factors. Seasonal context may partly explain these patterns: January, a post-holiday period with reduced retail footfall and shorter days, typically sees lower outdoor crime but may see spikes in other categories. The high rate of shoplifting—1.0 per 1,000 residents, 75% above the UK average—could be linked to the area's retail presence, particularly in urban centres. Meanwhile, violent crime rates for violence and sexual offences (2.5 per 1,000) were 4% below the UK average, reflecting the district's mix of rural and suburban communities, where crime prevention initiatives may have a stronger presence. The data also highlights the importance of contextual factors, such as the area's proximity to major transport routes and its seasonal economic rhythms, in shaping crime trends.

January 2024 saw significant fluctuations in specific crime categories, with possession of weapons and drugs both doubling from the previous month (4 → 8 and 7 → 14, respectively). These increases may be linked to broader national trends or localized pressures. Conversely, robbery and other crime both declined—robbery fell by 28.6% (7 → 5) and other crime dropped 15.4% (13 → 11), potentially reflecting seasonal patterns or the impact of targeted policing efforts. The crime mix also shifted with property crimes (367) narrowly edging out violent crimes (332), a reversal of the previous month’s trend. This balance may indicate underlying factors such as the area’s retail and commercial activity, which could drive property-related offences, while the relatively lower violent crime rate compared to the UK average (2.5 vs 2.6 per 1,000) suggests effective community engagement strategies. The shoplifting rate (1.0 per 1,000) stood out as 75% above the UK average, a figure that could be closely monitored by local retailers and law enforcement for further analysis.

The Vale of Glamorgan’s crime rate in January 2024 (6.7 per 1,000 residents) marked a 15.2% increase from the previous month’s rate of 5.9 per 1,000, reflecting a rising trend in local crime statistics. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 30 crimes per day over the 31-day period, a figure that contextualizes the monthly total of 915 incidents. When scaled to the population of 135,743 residents, this translates to one reported crime occurring for roughly every 148 residents over the course of the month—a monthly exposure rate that is lower than the UK average (which is not provided in this dataset). The increase from December to January may be influenced by factors such as the return of regular routines after the Christmas holiday period. The local rate remains 9.5% below the UK average, a gap that could be attributed to the Vale of Glamorgan’s diverse geography, which includes both urban and rural areas with varying levels of policing resources and community engagement. This comparison underscores the importance of localized strategies in managing crime, even as broader national trends may influence specific categories like shoplifting and public order offences.