Polegate Crime Rate November 2025 | Monthly Statistics

November 2025 brought an unexpected surge in shoplifting to Polegate, a built-up area within Wealden, marking the most striking shift in the month’s crime profile. With a total of 33 crimes reported, the area’s overall crime rate of 2.9 per 1,000 residents was 60.3% below the UK average of 7.3 per 1,000. This stark contrast highlights Polegate’s effectiveness in maintaining safety, though the shoplifting spike—jumping from 3 to 8 incidents—raises questions about seasonal factors. Black Friday shopping, which typically drives retail activity, may have contributed to this anomaly, even as the area’s violent crime rate (1.1 per 1,000) remained 57% below the UK average. The breakdown of crimes revealed a balanced distribution: violence and sexual offences (36.4% of total) were offset by property crimes (24.2% from shoplifting and 9.1% from other theft). This mix contrasts with larger urban centres where property crimes often dominate. Seasonal context also played a role: as November’s dark evenings and Bonfire Night events unfolded, the area’s low crime rate suggested that community resilience and limited nightlife may mitigate risks. However, the shoplifting increase—though still below the UK average (0.6 per 1,000)—points to a need for targeted retail security measures. Meanwhile, the drop in anti-social behaviour and public order offences (down 50% and 66.7%, respectively) aligns with the reduced foot traffic typical of late autumn. These patterns underscore the combination of local demographics, seasonal rhythms, and crime dynamics in a built-up area like Polegate.

November 2025 saw a dramatic 166.7% increase in shoplifting, jumping from 3 to 8 incidents. This surge, though still below the UK average for the category (0.6 per 1,000), raises questions about retail activity during Black Friday. Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour dropped by 50%, and public order offences fell by two-thirds, likely due to reduced outdoor activity as evenings grew darker. The crime mix also shifted: violent crimes (12) accounted for 36.4% of total incidents, while property crimes (15) made up the remainder—a balanced split that contrasts with areas where property crimes dominate. Violence and sexual offences in Polegate (1.1 per 1,000) are 57% below the UK average, a trend consistent with the area’s built-up nature and limited nightlife. Residents may find the drop in public order offences particularly reassuring, though the shoplifting spike deserves closer attention from local businesses.

Polegate’s November 2025 crime rate of 2.9 per 1,000 residents represents a 21.4% decline from the previous month’s rate of 3.7 per 1,000. This downward trend aligns with the seasonal lull in activity typical of late autumn, though the area remains significantly safer than the UK average. On a daily basis, 1 crime was reported per day in November—a figure that, while low, reflects the area’s consistently low crime profile. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 341 residents, a ratio that underscores the rarity of incidents in Polegate. When scaled to the population of 11,256, this means fewer than 4% of residents experienced a crime directly. This context is critical for residents: even with the recent rise in shoplifting, the overall risk remains minimal compared to national benchmarks, and the area’s built-up character likely contributes to its strong performance in reducing violent and property crimes.