Westmorland and Furness Crime Rate April 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominate the crime profile in Westmorland and Furness, accounting for 41.4% of all reported crimes in April 2023. This category, which includes 588 incidents, matches the UK average rate of 2.6 per 1,000 residents, highlighting a unique balance between local patterns and national trends. The overall crime rate of 6.2 per 1,000 residents places the area 17.3% below the UK average of 7.5, a consistent position that reflects the region’s character as a mix of rural and semi-urban landscapes. Seasonal factors likely contribute to this pattern, with spring weather and the Easter period driving increased outdoor activity that may intersect with social dynamics in local communities. While property crimes such as burglary and vehicle crime remain relatively low—3.2% and 2.4% of total crimes respectively—violent crimes persist as the primary concern. The breakdown reveals a combination of local demographics and broader socioeconomic factors, with the area’s lower property crime rates potentially linked to its dispersed population and limited high-density urban centres. This contrasts with the UK average, where property crimes often dominate, suggesting that Westmorland and Furness’s crime profile is shaped by its geographic and demographic context.

April 2023 saw significant fluctuations in specific crime categories, with robbery increasing by 300% (from 1 to 4 incidents) and bicycle theft rising by 44.4% (from 9 to 13). These sharp increases may be tied to seasonal factors, such as the Easter holiday period, which could have altered patterns of movement and activity in the area. Conversely, shoplifting and other theft both declined, with shoplifting dropping by 21.6% (from 51 to 40) and other theft falling by 18.2% (from 121 to 99). This suggests a potential shift in criminal focus toward personal crimes during the month. Criminal damage and arson in the area—179 incidents—exceeded the UK average by 31%, a figure that may reflect the presence of older infrastructure or seasonal maintenance challenges in rural areas. Anti-social behaviour, however, remained significantly below the UK average (41% lower), due to the area’s lower population density and community-oriented policing strategies. The violent crime category, though matching the UK rate, remains the most prominent driver of crime in the region, underscoring the need for targeted interventions in this area.

The crime rate in Westmorland and Furness for April 2023 remained stable compared to the previous month, with a 0.8% increase from 6.1 to 6.2 per 1,000 residents. This minimal fluctuation suggests a consistent pattern in local crime dynamics, though small changes can still reflect underlying trends. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately 47 crimes per day in April, a figure that provides context for residents and local authorities assessing the frequency of incidents. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 162 residents, a monthly exposure rate that is lower than the UK average, which is not provided in this dataset. The population-scaled perspective reinforces the area’s position as a relatively low-crime region, with its crime profile shaped by factors such as rural dispersion and limited urban density. While the daily crime count may seem high in absolute terms, the monthly exposure rate illustrates that the likelihood of being directly affected by crime is lower than in more densely populated areas. This comparative analysis highlights the importance of considering both absolute and relative measures when interpreting crime statistics for Westmorland and Furness.