West Suffolk Crime Rate May 2025 | Monthly Statistics

For every 1,000 residents in West Suffolk, 4.9 crimes were reported in May 2025, a rate 39.5% below the UK average of 8.1 per 1,000. This disparity underscores the area's relative safety compared to the national picture. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 44.8% of all crimes, significantly below the UK average for this category (2.8 per 1,000). Property crimes, including shoplifting and vehicle crime, also remained well below national levels, with shoplifting at 0.4 per 1,000—40% below the UK average. The seasonal context of May, with its longer evenings and increased outdoor socialising, may partly explain the higher proportion of public order offences (9.0%) and criminal damage and arson (9.1%). These figures suggest that while violent crime remains the most common category, the overall crime environment in West Suffolk is shaped by factors such as population density, community engagement, and the area's geographic character. The lower rates of anti-social behaviour (79% below UK average) and theft from the person (100% below) further illustrate the district's unique profile, which appears to balance lower population density with targeted policing or community initiatives that mitigate certain types of crime.

May 2025 saw a 450% increase in bicycle theft, with incidents rising from 2 to 11. This surge aligns with the seasonal shift into warmer weather, which typically coincides with increased cycling activity. Meanwhile, criminal damage and arson rose by 23.5%, and public order offences increased by 18.6%, both likely influenced by the extended evenings and bank holidays typical of May. Conversely, theft from the person and robbery both fell sharply—by 75% and 50% respectively—suggesting potential improvements in community safety measures or altered criminal activity patterns. Anti-social behaviour also dropped by 32.5%, a decline that may reflect the impact of local initiatives or seasonal changes in socialising habits. Violence and sexual offences remain the most prevalent category, accounting for 44.8% of all crimes, but they are still 22% below the UK average. This contrast between local trends and national benchmarks highlights the unique dynamics at play in West Suffolk.

West Suffolk's crime rate remained stable at 4.9 per 1,000 residents in May 2025, matching the previous month's figure. This consistency suggests no major shifts in crime patterns during the period. On a daily basis, 30 crimes were reported across the district, a figure that reflects the area's relatively low overall crime levels. When scaled to the population of 188,485, this equates to one reported crime occurring for roughly every 204 residents over the course of the month. While this monthly exposure rate is lower than the UK average, the UK's overall crime rate is 8.1 per 1,000, nearly double West Suffolk's. The district's population size and geographic spread likely contribute to this disparity, as rural and semi-rural areas often experience different crime dynamics compared to densely populated urban centres. These statistics provide a clear snapshot of how crime risk translates to individual residents, with West Suffolk's rates indicating a significantly lower likelihood of encountering crime than the national average.