Burscough Crime Rate May 2024 | Monthly Statistics

The crime mix in Burscough during May 2024 reveals a distinct pattern shaped by the area's character as a built-up community within West Lancashire. With a crime rate of 4.9 per 1,000 residents — 41.7% below the UK average — the profile shows a balance between violent and property crimes that differs from larger urban centres. Violence and sexual offences (13 incidents, 27.7% of total crimes) remain the most common category, though significantly below the UK average (2.8 per 1,000). This may reflect the area's smaller population and community-oriented social structure, where informal networks often mitigate more severe incidents. Anti-social behaviour (13 incidents) mirrors the violent crime rate, suggesting a connection to the area's local dynamics during May's longer evenings and increased outdoor activity. Other theft (6 incidents) and vehicle crime (4 incidents) highlight property-related concerns, though both remain well below UK averages. The seasonal context of May — with bank holidays and extended daylight hours — likely contributes to the mix, as outdoor drinking and socialising increase, potentially driving anti-social behaviour while reducing shoplifting activity. Public order offences (3 incidents) and criminal damage (3 incidents) both fell 52% below the UK average, a pattern consistent with Burscough's relatively low levels of disorder compared to more densely populated areas. The overall profile suggests a community where crime prevention efforts, combined with the area's smaller scale, create a crime environment that is both distinct and safer than the national average.

May 2024 saw a dramatic 300% increase in vehicle crime, rising from 1 to 4 incidents. This sharp jump, though still below the UK average (0.5 per 1,000), may reflect seasonal changes as longer evenings and increased outdoor socialising in Burscough's local areas led to more parked vehicles being targeted. Conversely, shoplifting fell by 60% compared to April, dropping from 5 to 2 incidents — a decrease likely linked to the quieter pre-summer retail environment. Violence and sexual offences also showed a notable 18.8% decline (from 16 to 13), remaining 51% below the UK average (2.8 per 1,000). This category's reduction may be partially explained by the area's small community dynamics, where informal social controls often deter aggressive incidents. Anti-social behaviour, at 13 incidents (27.7% of total crimes), remained 3% below the UK average (1.4 per 1,000), suggesting Burscough's community policing efforts continue to have a measurable impact.

Burscough's crime rate in May 2024 (4.9 per 1,000 residents) fell slightly (-2.0%) compared to April 2024 (5.0 per 1,000), reflecting a consistent trend of low crime levels in this built-up area. Daily crime figures show an average of 2 reported crimes per day over the month, a rate that aligns with the area's generally safe profile. When scaled to the population of 9,631 residents, this translates to one reported crime occurring for roughly every 205 residents over the course of May. This monthly exposure figure underscores the relatively low frequency of crime in Burscough compared to the UK average, where residents face significantly higher risks. The population-scaled perspective also highlights that most residents are unlikely to encounter crime directly, a pattern consistent with Burscough's small, closely-knit community structure and limited urban density.