Rural Waverley Crime Rate May 2024 | Monthly Statistics

In May 2024, Rural Waverley maintained a crime rate of 3.9 per 1,000 residents, placing it 53.6% below the UK average of 8.4 per 1,000. This translates to a daily risk of approximately 1 in 258 residents encountering a reported crime over the course of the month. The local profile shows a distinct pattern of violent crime dominating the landscape, with violence and sexual offences comprising 37.8% of all reported incidents—1.5 per 1,000 residents, 47% below the UK average for this category. This suggests that while the area is generally safer than the national average, certain types of crime, such as violence, remain concentrated here. Seasonal factors likely play a role in this trend, as May brings longer evenings and increased socialising in outdoor spaces, which may partly explain the elevated proportion of violent offences. Property crimes, though lower than the UK average for most categories, saw burglary rates at 0.8 per 1,000—158% above the UK average of 0.3 per 1,000. This anomaly could reflect the built-up nature of the area within Waverley, where homes may be more accessible to opportunistic offenders. Anti-social behaviour, however, was 52% below the UK average, aligning with the rural character of the area where community cohesion might mitigate such incidents. The overall crime picture illustrates a balance between the protective factors of a rural setting and the vulnerabilities of a small built-up community.

May 2024 saw notable shifts in crime patterns, with two categories—'other crime' and 'shoplifting'—doubling from zero to one incident each, marking a 100% increase. This spike, though small in absolute terms, highlights the potential for emerging trends in less common offences. Conversely, anti-social behaviour fell by 38.5% (from 13 to 8), a decline that may reflect the impact of targeted local initiatives or seasonal factors such as fewer public gatherings. Burglary also decreased by 10% (from 10 to 9), a modest but consistent reduction that could be linked to heightened awareness during the spring months. The breakdown of crime types reveals a significant divergence from the UK average: while burglary rates in Rural Waverley are 158% above the national figure, violent crime rates are 47% below. This contrast underscores the unique dynamics of the area, where the built-up nature of the community may increase property crime risks while the rural context reduces opportunities for violent incidents. For residents, the most immediately relevant finding is the 100% rise in 'other crime'—a category that includes non-specific offences such as vandalism or disorderly conduct—which, though minimal in scale, warrants attention as a potential indicator of shifting criminal activity.

Compared to April 2024, when the crime rate stood at 4.6 per 1,000 residents, May 2024 saw a 15.1% decline, reflecting a continued downward trend in local crime. This reduction is particularly evident in anti-social behaviour and burglary, which fell by 38.5% and 10% respectively. On a daily basis, Rural Waverley experienced approximately one reported crime per day in May, a figure that, when scaled to the population, means one in every 258 residents encountered a crime during the month. This monthly exposure rate is significantly lower than the UK average, which would translate to a far higher frequency of incidents in a similar-sized area. The population context further illustrates the safety of the area: with 11,588 residents, the low crime rate suggests that the built-up section of Waverley operates with a level of security that is uncommon for its size. However, the 158% above-average burglary rate remains a concern, potentially indicating vulnerabilities in property crime prevention that could be addressed through targeted measures such as improved lighting in residential areas or community watch schemes. For residents, the comparison to the UK average reinforces the relative safety of the area, though the burglary discrepancy highlights the need for continued vigilance in specific sectors of the community.