Westmorland and Furness Crime Rate November 2024 | Monthly Statistics

November 2024 saw an unexpected surge in 'Other crime' in Westmorland and Furness, marking the most significant month-on-month movement in the area’s crime profile. Despite this, the overall crime rate of 6.1 per 1,000 residents remained 19.7% below the UK average, a consistent trend that underscores the area’s relatively low crime environment. Violence and sexual offences dominated the crime profile, accounting for nearly half (48.2%) of all incidents reported, a figure that, while lower than the UK average for property crimes, remains 12% above the national benchmark for violent offences. This discrepancy may reflect the area’s mix of rural and urban communities, where higher concentrations of population in certain areas could contribute to elevated levels of interpersonal crime. Seasonal factors also played a role: the dark evenings of November, coupled with the commercial activity of Black Friday, may have influenced shoplifting rates, which rose by 10.5% but remained 42% below the UK average. Meanwhile, the sharp decline in burglary—down 40.5%—suggests that local initiatives or environmental factors, such as improved lighting or community engagement, may have contributed to this reduction. The data also highlights the paradox of 'Other crime', which saw a 52.9% increase, yet remains unexplained by the breakdown. This category’s rise may warrant further attention from local authorities, though its exact nature and drivers remain unclear. As the year progresses, continued monitoring of these trends will be essential to understanding how seasonal and demographic shifts shape the area’s crime profile.

The most striking shift in November 2024 was the 52.9% increase in 'Other crime', rising from 51 to 78 incidents. This category, which includes a broad range of non-specific offences, saw the largest month-on-month jump, though its exact nature remains undefined in the data. In contrast, burglary fell by 40.5% (from 42 to 25), a decline that may reflect improved security measures or seasonal factors, such as shorter evenings reducing opportunities for break-ins. Violent crimes, which accounted for 48.2% of all incidents, remained 12% above the UK average, a persistent trend that may be influenced by local demographics or policing priorities. Meanwhile, shoplifting increased by 10.5% (76 to 84), yet still remained 42% below the UK average, illustrating a combination of local retail activity and crime prevention efforts.

Westmorland and Furness recorded a crime rate of 6.1 per 1,000 residents in November 2024, a 3.6% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 6.3. This decline, though modest, reflects a broader trend of stability in the local crime picture. On a daily basis, 47 crimes were reported over the 30-day period, a figure that highlights the ongoing presence of criminal activity even within a relatively low overall rate. When scaled to the population of 230,185, the monthly exposure translates to one reported crime for roughly every 164 residents, a metric that provides context for the likelihood of encountering crime in the area. This rate remains 19.7% below the UK average, suggesting that the local environment, whether shaped by rural spread, community policing, or seasonal factors, continues to contribute to a safer profile compared to the national context.