Wealden Crime Rate March 2023 | Monthly Statistics

For a population of 166,908, 647 reported crimes in March 2023 translate to 3.9 crimes per 1,000 residents—a rate 48.7% below the UK average of 7.6 per 1,000. This places Wealden among the safer local authority districts in England. The most common crime type was violence and sexual offences, accounting for 37.9% of all reported incidents (245 cases), followed by anti-social behaviour (12.4%) and criminal damage and arson (10.2%). These figures align with Wealden’s character as a largely rural and suburban area, where community-focused policing and lower population density may contribute to reduced property crime compared to urban centres. Seasonal factors in March—such as the transition to spring and longer evenings—could influence patterns of anti-social behaviour and public order offences, though the overall crime rate remains well below national benchmarks. The UK average for violence and sexual offences is 2.7 per 1,000, yet Wealden’s rate of 1.5 per 1,000 is 45% lower, suggesting local initiatives or environmental factors may play a role in mitigating such incidents. While property crimes make up 35.8% of the total, their rate (2.6 per 1,000) is 70% below the UK average for burglary, indicating strong deterrence measures or community engagement in areas where property crime is more prevalent.

March 2023 saw notable shifts in crime trends, with vehicle crime surging by 105% (from 20 to 41 incidents) and other crime doubling (from 8 to 16 cases). This increase may reflect seasonal factors, such as more frequent travel or changes in parking habits as evenings lengthen. Conversely, theft from the person fell by 80% (from 5 to 1), a drop that could be linked to improved public awareness campaigns or increased police presence in high-risk areas. Burglary also decreased by 22.7% (from 22 to 17 cases), though the rate remains 70% below the UK average. The breakdown of crime types reveals stark contrasts with national figures: violence and sexual offences are 45% below the UK average, anti-social behaviour is 52% below, and criminal damage and arson are 33% below. These disparities may be influenced by Wealden’s lower population density and community-focused policing strategies, which appear to reduce incidents of disorder and vandalism. For residents, the sharp decline in theft from the person—now at 0.0 per 1,000—offers a tangible example of how targeted interventions can significantly impact specific crime categories.

The crime rate in March 2023 (3.9 per 1,000) marked a 10.9% increase from February’s rate of 3.5 per 1,000.7% below the UK average. Over the course of the month, 647 crimes occurred, equating to roughly 21 crimes per day—a figure that, while seemingly high, is contextually low given Wealden’s population of 166,908. On a monthly basis, one reported crime occurred for every 258 residents, a statistic that underscores the relatively low frequency of incidents compared to larger urban areas. This daily and monthly context helps residents gauge the likelihood of encountering crime in their daily lives. The 10.9% rise from February may be attributed to seasonal transitions, such as increased foot traffic in retail areas or changes in social activity as daylight hours extend. However, the overall rate remains firmly in the lower quartile of UK local authority districts, highlighting Wealden’s consistent performance in maintaining public safety. The population-scaled perspective also reveals that even with the month-on-month increase, the absolute number of crimes per resident remains significantly lower than the UK average, reinforcing the area’s status as a safer place to live.