Waverley Crime Rate August 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Waverley's crime profile in August 2024 reveals a distinct balance between violent and property-related offences, with a marked emphasis on interpersonal conflicts and public disorder. At 3.4 crimes per 1,000 residents, the local authority's crime rate sits 58.5% below the UK average of 8.2 per 1,000, a gap that underscores the area's relatively low-risk environment. Violence and sexual offences dominate the crime mix, accounting for 38.3% of all reports, followed by anti-social behaviour (18.4%) and public order incidents (9.2%). This pattern suggests a community grappling with persistent issues around personal safety and disruptive behaviour, though the absence of significant property crime—particularly burglary, which is 38% below the UK average—hints at robust local security measures or lower opportunities for such crimes. Seasonal factors may also play a role, as August, a peak holiday month, typically sees increased tourism and empty homes, which could theoretically elevate burglary risks. However, this link, and the actual burglary rate remains 38% below the UK average. The low incidence of shoplifting—86% below the national average—suggests effective retail security or a community with strong norms against such activity. This crime mix, skewed towards interpersonal and public order offences, illustrates an area where community cohesion and local policing efforts may be more critical than traditional property crime prevention strategies.

August 2024 saw notable shifts in Waverley's crime profile, with burglary increasing by 22.7% (22 to 27 incidents) and bicycle theft rising by 25% (4 to 5). These increases contrast sharply with significant declines in shoplifting (-63.4%) and theft from the person (-66.7%), which may reflect seasonal changes in tourism patterns or improved retail security measures. The violent crime category remains 52% below the UK average (1.3 vs 2.7 per 1,000), with violence and sexual offences making up nearly 40% of all reported crimes. This suggests a persistent focus on interpersonal conflict resolution within the community, though the proportion of violent crime is lower than the UK average. Anti-social behaviour, at 18.4% of all crimes, remains 58% below the national average, indicating effective local interventions in managing disruptive conduct. The stark contrast between the 86% reduction in shoplifting and the 22.7% rise in burglary highlights shifting dynamics in property-related crime, potentially influenced by August's peak holiday season and associated empty homes. Residents may find the 15 crimes per day figure (based on 457 total incidents) a useful benchmark for understanding local crime frequency, though this remains significantly lower than the UK average.

Waverley's crime rate in August 2024 dropped by 13.9% compared to July's 4.0 per 1,000, reflecting a continued downward trend in local crime statistics. This decline, though modest, aligns with the area's overall position as one of the UK's safer local authority districts. On a daily basis, Waverley recorded an average of 15 crimes per day in August—a figure that, while providing context for residents, remains 58.5% below the UK average. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 294 residents, a monthly exposure rate that highlights the relatively low likelihood of experiencing crime in this area. When scaled to Waverley's population of 134,284, this translates to a population-scaled perspective where the risk of encountering crime is significantly lower than the national average. The previous month's rate of 4.0 per 1,000 suggests a consistent trend of decreasing crime, though the August figures reveal a more pronounced emphasis on violent and public order offences compared to July's data. This shift in crime mix, without a corresponding rise in overall crime numbers, indicates that local policing efforts may be effectively addressing property-related offences while maintaining focus on interpersonal crime prevention.