Westmorland and Furness Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Westmorland and Furness recorded a crime rate of 5.2 per 1,000 residents in January 2024, placing it 29.7% below the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000. This performance underscores the area’s relative safety compared to the national picture. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for 46.4% of all reported incidents—nearly double the share of the next most common category. This concentration of violent crime contrasts with the UK average, where such offences make up 2.6 per 1,000 (2.4 per 1,000 in the area), suggesting a local imbalance between violent and property crime. The seasonal context of January—post-holiday lulls, shorter days, and reduced retail activity—likely contributes to lower outdoor crime rates, though the prominence of violence may reflect other factors such as community-specific tensions or policing priorities. Anti-social behaviour, at 10.6% of total crimes, also stands out as a significant local issue, with rates 39% below the UK average, indicating a combination of local enforcement and broader societal trends. These findings highlight the need for targeted strategies to address violence while maintaining the area’s overall safety performance relative to the UK.

January 2024 saw notable shifts in crime patterns, with anti-social behaviour increasing by 15.6% (109 → 126) and vehicle crime rising by 13.9% (36 → 41). These increases may be linked to seasonal transitions, such as colder weather driving more indoor disputes or increased vehicle idling in residential areas. Conversely, drugs-related offences fell by 40.2% (97 → 58), a steep decline that could reflect successful local interventions or reduced illicit activity during the post-holiday period. Burglary rates also dropped by 34.0% (53 → 35), tied to seasonal factors like fewer people traveling or heightened security measures during the winter. The area’s performance on specific categories diverges from the UK average: drugs-related crime is 43% above the national rate, while shoplifting is 65% below, suggesting a unique local context. For residents, the sharp decline in theft from the person (33.3% drop) indicates a potential reduction in opportunistic crimes, though this remains an area requiring continued attention. These fluctuations illustrate the dynamic nature of crime and the importance of monitoring local trends alongside broader national comparisons.

In January 2024, Westmorland and Furness’ crime rate of 5.2 per 1,000 marked a 5.8% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 5.5 per 1,000. This decline aligns with the area’s overall safety profile, though it must be contextualised within local daily crime patterns. On average, 39 crimes were reported per day in January—a figure that, while modest, reflects the area’s population of 230,185. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 193 residents, a monthly exposure rate that is significantly lower than the UK average. This statistic underscores the area’s relative safety, though such figures do not capture the full story of individual risk. The population-scaled perspective reveals that while the overall rate is low, certain categories—such as drugs-related crime—remain elevated compared to the UK. This suggests that targeted efforts to address specific issues, even within a generally safe area, are essential. The comparison also highlights the importance of considering both absolute numbers and relative rates when assessing local safety, ensuring that residents receive a balanced understanding of their environment.