Wealden Crime Rate April 2023 | Monthly Statistics

April 2023 saw a sharp and unexpected surge in burglary rates in Wealden, rising by 129.4% from 17 to 39 incidents—a stark contrast to the overall trend of lower crime rates compared to the UK average. The local crime rate of 3.7 per 1,000 residents, 50.7% below the UK average of 7.5, highlights Wealden's generally safer profile. Violence and sexual offences remained the most common category (34.7% of all crimes), followed by anti-social behaviour (15.8%) and criminal damage and arson (12.7%). These figures align with Wealden's character as a largely rural district with a mix of suburban and semi-rural areas, where property crimes often reflect seasonal patterns. The Easter period, combined with spring weather encouraging outdoor activity, may have influenced patterns, though the burglary spike remains unexplained by the data. Violent crime rates in Wealden are 50% below the UK average, consistent with the area's lower population density and limited nightlife compared to major urban centres. Anti-social behaviour, while still below the UK average, showed a 22.5% increase, possibly linked to seasonal social gatherings or temporary spikes in community events. The overall crime profile suggests a balance between rural tranquillity and localized pockets of activity, with property crimes affected by seasonal factors.

Burglary rates in Wealden surged by 129.4% in April 2023, jumping from 17 to 39 incidents—a marked departure from the usual trend of decreasing property crime. This increase, despite Wealden's overall crime rate remaining 50.7% below the UK average, raises questions about localized vulnerabilities. Anti-social behaviour also rose by 22.5%, from 80 to 98 incidents, suggesting a possible link to Easter-related gatherings or temporary spikes in community activity. Conversely, drug-related crimes fell sharply by 54.5%, from 11 to 5, and vehicle crime dropped by 48.8%, from 41 to 21—a trend that may reflect reduced foot traffic or altered transportation patterns during the Easter break. Wealden's violent crime rate (1.3 per 1,000) remains 50% below the UK average (2.6 per 1,000), illustrating the area's continued safety in this category. Residents may find the daily crime count of 21 incidents per day (based on April 2023 data) a useful metric for contextualizing local risks, though this remains well below the UK's average of 162 daily crimes per 100,000 residents.

Wealden's crime rate in April 2023 (3.7 per 1,000) marked a 4.4% decrease from the previous month's rate of 3.9, reflecting a slight downward trend. Over the course of April, one reported crime occurred for every 269 residents—a monthly exposure rate that is lower than the UK's average of 1.6 per 100 residents (calculated from the UK's 7.5 per 1,000 rate). Daily crime figures for Wealden in April averaged 21 incidents, a rate that is significantly lower than the UK's average of 57 daily crimes per 100,000 residents. This disparity underscores Wealden's status as a relatively low-crime area, particularly given its rural character and limited urban density. The population-scaled perspective reveals that, for every 100,000 residents in Wealden, 370 crimes were recorded in April—compared to 7,500 crimes in the UK average for the same population size. This contrast highlights the effectiveness of local policing and community-focused crime prevention strategies, though the burglary increase remains an outlier requiring further analysis. The combination of low overall rates and specific spikes in property crime suggests a combination of seasonal factors and localized vulnerabilities that warrant closer examination.