Cold Ash Crime Rate October 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Cold Ash's crime rate in October 2024 stood at 1.4 per 1,000 residents, placing it 82.7% below the UK average of 8.1. This figure reflects a built-up area within West Berkshire that consistently reports crime rates significantly lower than the national average. The top crime types were violence and sexual offences (25% of total), burglary (12.5%), and other theft (12.5%), all of which remained well below UK benchmarks. Violence and sexual offences, at 0.4 per 1,000, were 85% below the UK average of 2.7, while burglary (0.2 per 1,000) was 39% below the national rate of 0.3. The seasonal context of October, with shorter days and the approach of Halloween, may have influenced patterns, though no direct correlation is evident in the data. The area's low crime rate could be attributed to its character as a relatively small, suburban built-up area with limited nightlife or high-density housing, factors that may reduce opportunities for certain types of crime. This consistency with historical trends suggests that Cold Ash's crime profile is shaped by its geographic and demographic characteristics, which likely contribute to its continued safety compared to the UK average.

The most dramatic month-on-month change in October 2024 was a 100% increase in three categories: anti-social behaviour, other theft, and criminal damage and arson, all of which had zero incidents in the previous month. This spike aligns with October's seasonal factors, including darker evenings and Halloween, which may have contributed to increased public interactions and property-related incidents. Despite this, the area's overall crime rate remains 82.7% below the UK average, with violent crimes at 0.4 per 1,000 (25% of total) — 85% below the UK average of 2.7. Bicycle theft, the only category above UK levels, rose slightly but remains rare at 0.1 per 1,000. Residents should note that while anti-social behaviour doubled, the absolute number remains low, with just one incident reported in the entire month. This suggests that while localized factors may have temporarily influenced certain crime types, the broader trend of low crime persists.

Cold Ash's crime rate in October 2024 rose 59.1% compared to the previous month, moving from 0.9 to 1.4 per 1,000 residents. This increase, though still far below the UK average, reflects a shift in local patterns. On average, one crime was reported every 31 days, translating to roughly one incident per resident every 713 days. For context, the population of 11,400 means that each resident faces a 1-in-713 chance of being directly affected by a reported crime over the course of the month. This monthly exposure is significantly lower than the UK average, which is not provided for this specific metric. The rise in crime is most evident in anti-social behaviour, other theft, and criminal damage, but the overall rate remains exceptionally low given the area's built-up nature. This suggests that while local factors may have temporarily elevated certain categories, the broader crime profile of Cold Ash remains markedly safer than the national average.