West Northamptonshire Crime Rate

West Northamptonshire maintains a safety profile that aligns closely with national benchmarks. With an overall crime rate of 90.7 per 1,000 people for the period between December 2024 and November 2025, it sits just below the UK average of 91.7. The area's safety score of 79/100 is identical to the UK average, indicating a standard risk environment for residents. The recent crime trend is described as stable, showing a minimal 0.4% increase year-over-year. This consistency suggests that while crime is present, particularly in more densely populated urban areas, the overall safety landscape is predictable. The following analysis explores the specific types of crime prevalent in the district and how it compares to surrounding regions.

West Northamptonshire is a diverse local authority area that combines the significant urban centre of Northampton with several growing market towns and large swathes of rural countryside. This mix of environments contributes to a varied crime profile. The area is a major logistics and transport hub, with the M1 motorway passing through its heart, attracting significant industrial activity and a transient population associated with the distribution sector.

The population of nearly 440,000 is spread across residential suburbs, historic villages, and busy commercial zones. Northampton itself acts as a regional centre for retail and nightlife, which naturally draws higher footfall and can influence statistics for anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. Economic factors, including the presence of major employers in the engineering and logistics sectors, alongside areas of regeneration, play a role in the local safety score. The blend of high-density housing and isolated rural properties means that crime prevention strategies must address both opportunistic urban crime and more targeted rural theft.

In West Northamptonshire, the most prevalent crime type is violence and sexual offences, which accounts for 34.2% of all reports. This is followed by anti-social behaviour at 20.4%, and shoplifting, which makes up 9.2% of the total crime volume. These top three categories represent over 60% of all recorded incidents in the district.

Property crime in the area—including burglary, vehicle crime, and various thefts—is recorded at a rate of 30.0 per 1,000 people. This is slightly lower than the UK average of 32.3, suggesting a relatively standard risk level for property owners. Specifically, vehicle crime represents 4.9% of the total, while burglary accounts for 4.5%. Criminal damage and arson also feature significantly, making up 6.1% of reports.

For residents, this breakdown indicates that while interpersonal offences are the most common, property security remains a constant requirement. The high rate of shoplifting (8.4 per 1,000) suggests that commercial areas are particularly active zones for opportunistic theft, which can occasionally spill over into nearby residential neighbourhoods. Overall, the data points to a need for balanced security that addresses both personal safety in public and the protection of homes and vehicles.

The crime trend in West Northamptonshire is remarkably stable, with only a 0.4% increase recorded over the last 12 months. The data period began in December 2024 with a rate of 6.5 per 1,000, which fluctuated throughout the year.

The most active period was during the summer, with the crime rate peaking at 8.7 per 1,000 in July 2025. This was followed by a gradual decline, returning to 7.0 per 1,000 by November. This pattern suggests that criminal activity in the district may be influenced by seasonal factors, with higher incident rates during the warmer months when people are more likely to be out in public spaces. For residents, this stability is reassuring, but the summer peak indicates a time when personal and home security should be stepped up to mitigate the increased risk.

In the regional context of the East Midlands and surrounding counties, West Northamptonshire's crime rate of 90.7 per 1,000 stands out against its neighbours. Areas such as Rugby, Milton Keynes, Harborough, North Northamptonshire, Oadby and Wigston, and Blaby all reported 0.0 crimes per 1,000 people in this specific data set. While these zero-rated figures may be due to reporting variations or specific data boundaries, they position West Northamptonshire as the focal point for recorded criminal activity in this local cluster. For those moving to or living in the region, West Northamptonshire offers a more urbanised experience with higher service availability but also requires a more attentive approach to home and personal security than some of the smaller, more rural neighbouring districts.

West Northamptonshire's property crime rate of 30.0 per 1,000 residents highlights a consistent need for effective home security. In an area with a mix of busy urban streets and quieter suburban lanes, traditional reactive security—like standard CCTV that simply records a crime—often fails to prevent the incident from occurring.

The scOS AI-powered operating system offers a proactive alternative by focusing on prevention. Instead of notifying you after a window has been smashed, scOS uses multi-camera intelligence to monitor your property's boundaries 24/7. It can distinguish between a neighbour and a potential threat using pattern learning. If a suspicious individual is detected, the system can autonomously engage deterrents like high-intensity lighting or audio warnings, stopping a crime in its tracks. For homeowners in West Northamptonshire, this means moving from a system that provides evidence of a burglary to one that ensures the burglary never happens.

How To Keep Safe in West Northamptonshire

Violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type in West Northamptonshire, making personal safety a priority for residents. When in town centres or using public transport, stay aware of your surroundings and try to travel in groups during late-night hours. Sticking to well-lit main roads rather than taking shortcuts through unlit paths is always recommended.

Given the prevalence of anti-social behaviour, residents are encouraged to engage with local community watch schemes and report persistent issues to the local authorities. Visible security measures on your property can also act as a deterrent for low-level nuisance.

To protect against property crime, ensure all vehicles are cleared of valuables and that home entry points are reinforced. With shoplifting being a significant factor in the area, business owners should consider advanced AI security that can monitor retail floors and perimeters simultaneously, providing a higher level of protection than standard retail CCTV.