Wealden Crime Rate March 2023 | Monthly Statistics

For a population of 166,908 residents, Wealden recorded 647 crimes in March 2023, translating to a crime rate of 3.9 per 1,000 people — 48.7% below the UK average of 7.6 per 1,000. This figure, while representing a tangible number of incidents, places Wealden firmly in the safer half of the UK’s local authority districts. The most common crimes were violence and sexual offences (245 incidents, 37.9% of total), followed by anti-social behaviour (80 incidents, 12.4%) and criminal damage and arson (66 incidents, 10.2%). These patterns may reflect seasonal dynamics, as March marks the transition to spring with longer evenings and the clocks changing, factors that can influence both criminal activity and policing visibility. The dominance of violent crimes over property crimes is noteworthy, with 37.9% of incidents falling into the former category — a share that contrasts with the UK average where property crimes typically account for a larger proportion. This shift may be partly explained by Wealden’s character as a largely rural district, where interpersonal disputes and anti-social behaviour are more likely to dominate crime statistics compared to urban areas with higher rates of theft and burglary. The low rate of burglary (0.1 per 1,000, 70% below UK average) and the complete absence of certain crimes like robbery (100% below UK average) further reinforce the area’s distinct profile, suggesting a combination of environmental factors, community policing efforts, and demographic characteristics that contribute to its lower crime rates.

March 2023 saw a notable shift in the crime mix, with violent crimes making up 37.9% of total incidents — the highest proportion among all categories. This contrasts with property crimes, which accounted for 35.8% of the total, a balance that diverges from the UK average where property crimes typically dominate. The rate of violence and sexual offences in Wealden was 45% below the UK average (1.5 vs 2.7 per 1,000), a gap that may reflect local factors such as lower population density or community-specific policing strategies. Anti-social behaviour, while comprising 12.4% of all crimes, was 52% below the UK average, a statistic that could indicate effective community engagement or lower levels of social friction in the area. The sharp decline in burglary (70% below UK average) and the absence of certain crimes like robbery (100% below UK average) further highlight Wealden’s unique crime profile, offering residents a sense of relative security compared to national trends.

Over the course of March 2023, 1 reported crime occurred for roughly every 258 residents in Wealden, reflecting a monthly exposure rate that aligns with the area’s historically low crime profile. This figure, while seemingly high in absolute terms, places Wealden firmly in the safer end of the UK spectrum when scaled to population size. Daily crime context shows 21 crimes reported per day, a pace that, while consistent with local patterns, remains significantly lower than the UK average when adjusted for population density. The population-scaled perspective reveals that Wealden’s crime rate of 3.9 per 1,000 residents is 48.7% below the national average, a gap that underscores the area’s distinctiveness compared to more densely populated or economically disadvantaged regions. This disparity may partly reflect Wealden’s character as a largely rural district with lower population density and fewer high-traffic urban centres, factors that typically correlate with reduced opportunities for certain types of crime. The monthly exposure metric, however, offers a tangible way for residents to contextualise risk, showing that the likelihood of being directly affected by crime remains relatively low even when considering the total number of incidents.