Rural Waverley Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

In January 2024, Rural Waverley maintained a crime rate of 3.8 per 1,000 residents, placing it 48.6% below the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000. This stark contrast to the national profile underscores the area’s unique crime dynamics, where property-related offences consistently outpace violent incidents. Of the 44 total crimes recorded, property crimes accounted for 52% (23 incidents), with violence and sexual offences making up 27.3% (12 incidents). This imbalance may reflect the built-up nature of the area within Waverley’s rural landscape, where residential and commercial properties coexist, potentially increasing exposure to theft and vandalism. The seasonal context of January—marked by post-holiday lulls, reduced retail footfall, and shorter daylight hours—likely contributed to the lower overall crime rate, though property damage and arson saw notable spikes. For instance, criminal damage and arson rose sharply to nine incidents, compared to three in December, linked to winter-related maintenance challenges or increased anti-social behaviour during colder months. Meanwhile, violent crimes remained significantly below UK averages, with a rate of 1.0 per 1,000 residents, 62% lower than the national figure. This suggests that the area’s relatively low population density and rural character may act as a deterrent to violent crime, though the prominence of property crimes indicates a need for targeted prevention strategies. The data also highlights a combination of seasonal factors and local demographics, with the area’s built-up character likely influencing patterns such as the high proportion of other theft (18.2%) and the relatively low rate of anti-social behaviour (0.5 per 1,000 residents, 49% below the UK average). These findings illustrate the importance of contextualising crime statistics within the specific geography and social fabric of Rural Waverley.

January 2024 saw significant fluctuations in specific crime categories, with criminal damage and arson surging by 200% compared to the previous month, rising from three to nine incidents. This jump may reflect seasonal factors, such as harsher winter conditions or increased property maintenance challenges in rural settings. Other theft also doubled, from four to eight incidents, while vehicle crime increased by 100%, possibly linked to changes in local traffic patterns or vehicle storage habits. Conversely, public order offences dropped by two-thirds, likely due to reduced foot traffic during the post-holiday period and shorter daylight hours limiting social gatherings. Violent crimes, though still the second-most common category, remained 62% below the UK average, with a rate of 1.0 per 1,000 residents. This stark contrast to the UK profile highlights the area’s distinct crime dynamics, where property-related issues dominate over violent incidents. Residents may find the 40% above UK average for criminal damage and arson particularly noteworthy, suggesting a need for targeted community engagement around property protection.

Rural Waverley’s January 2024 crime rate of 3.8 per 1,000 residents marks a 13.6% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.4 per 1,000. This downward trend suggests a continued reduction in reported incidents, though the pace of decline has slowed compared to prior months. On a daily basis, the area experienced roughly one crime per day in January, a figure that underscores the relatively low frequency of incidents in this built-up rural community. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 263 residents, a statistic that, when considered alongside the area’s population of 11,588, illustrates the limited exposure to crime for most residents. While this monthly exposure is lower than the UK average, rural areas often have different crime dynamics, with property-related offences more common than violent crimes. This context may partly explain the balance observed in the crime mix, where property crimes outnumbered violent incidents by nearly 2:1.