Okehampton Crime Rate December 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Okehampton’s December 2023 crime rate of 3.9 per 1,000 residents places it 45.8% below the UK average of 7.2, a stark contrast to the national picture. This built-up area within West Devon, characterised by its rural surroundings and historic market town centre, reported 37 crimes in total, with violence and sexual offences dominating at 54.1% of the total. This category’s rate of 2.1 per 1,000 is 20% below the UK average, a notable divergence that may reflect the area’s lower population density and community-focused policing efforts. Anti-social behaviour and public order offences also fell significantly below national averages, with rates 68% and 38% lower respectively, possibly linked to the town’s quieter lifestyle compared to urban centres. December, a month marked by festive shopping, extended evenings, and seasonal travel, may have influenced patterns: while property crime remained low, the 20 reported violent offences could be partly explained by increased social interactions during holiday events. However, the absence of major retail hubs or nightlife venues likely contributes to the relatively low rates of shoplifting and vehicle crime, which are 80% and 78% below UK averages respectively. This suggests that Okehampton’s crime profile, shaped by its rural-urban mix and seasonal rhythms, diverges from the UK norm in both volume and type.

December 2023 saw significant shifts in crime patterns compared to November, with public order offences surging by 200% (from 1 to 3) and violence and sexual offences rising 122.2% (from 9 to 20). This increase in violent crime, despite remaining 20% below the UK average, may be tied to seasonal factors such as late-night gatherings during the festive period. Conversely, anti-social behaviour dropped by 66.7% (from 9 to 3), possibly reflecting community-focused initiatives or the temporary absence of transient populations during the holiday season. The breakdown of crimes also reveals a stark contrast to national trends: violence and sexual offences, which constitute 54.1% of all reported crimes, are lower than the UK average for this category. Meanwhile, property crime remains minimal, with burglary and other theft each at 0.2 per 1,000, 43% and 66% below UK averages respectively. For residents, the 1-in-260 monthly exposure rate (based on 9,614 residents) offers context: over the course of December, each resident had a roughly 0.38% chance of being directly affected by a reported crime, a figure that underscores the area’s overall safety compared to the UK’s 0.72% average.

Okehampton’s December 2023 crime rate of 3.9 per 1,000 represents a 32.3% increase from November’s 2.9, though it remains significantly below the UK average. This 0.32 per 1,000 rise translates to one reported crime per day in the 31-day period, a rate that is lower than the UK’s average of 2.6 per 1,000 (equivalent to 2.6 crimes per day in a similar-sized area). The monthly exposure figure—1 crime for every 260 residents—provides a tangible measure of risk for Okehampton’s population, which is 1.6 times smaller than the UK’s average population per 1,000 crimes. This lower exposure is amplified by the area’s unique demographic profile: as a rural-urban hybrid with limited nightlife and no major transport hubs, it avoids the spikes in vehicle crime and shoplifting that plague larger cities. However, the 122.2% increase in violent offences compared to November raises questions about local factors, such as the impact of seasonal gatherings or changes in policing focus. While the absolute number of crimes remains low, the shift in crime mix—from property to violent offences—suggests a need for targeted community engagement, particularly during the winter months when social interactions intensify.