Wiltshire Crime Rate April 2023 | Monthly Statistics

For a district with a population of 523,700, Wiltshire recorded 2,431 crimes in April 2023, equating to 4.6 crimes per 1,000 residents. This rate is 38.7% below the UK average of 7.5 per 1,000, reflecting a consistently lower crime profile compared to national trends. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 33.7% of all crimes, followed by anti-social behaviour (21.4%) and criminal damage and arson (9.9%). These figures align with Wiltshire’s character as a predominantly rural district with a mix of historic market towns, agricultural land, and smaller commuter communities. The seasonal context of April—marked by Easter and early spring conditions—may have influenced patterns, with increased outdoor activity potentially contributing to higher reports of public order offences. However, the overall crime rate remains significantly below the UK average, particularly for violent crime, which stood at 1.6 per 1,000 compared to the national 2.6 per 1,000. This suggests a combination of geographic factors, such as lower population density and fewer urban centres, and possibly stronger community cohesion in rural areas. The data also shows a marked absence of certain crime types typically associated with high-density urban areas, such as bicycle theft and robbery, which were 100% below the UK average. This further underscores the distinct nature of Wiltshire’s crime profile compared to larger cities.

April 2023 saw a 16.4% increase in public order offences, rising from 152 to 177, which may reflect the heightened outdoor activity associated with spring and Easter events. Other crime also rose by 13.2%, with reports increasing from 38 to 43, though this category remains 23% below the UK average. Shoplifting increased by 6.3% (159 to 169), potentially linked to seasonal retail activity. Conversely, vehicle crime fell by 27.5% (131 to 95), a decline that could be attributed to reduced commuter traffic during the Easter holiday period. Possession of weapons dropped sharply by 48.6% (35 to 18), a decrease that may indicate ongoing efforts by local authorities to address firearms-related issues, though no specific programmes are referenced in the data. The violent crime rate of 1.6 per 1,000 remains 38% below the UK average, suggesting that Wiltshire’s rural environment and lower population density may contribute to fewer violent incidents. Anti-social behaviour, which often correlates with urban density, is 15% below the UK average, reinforcing the idea that Wiltshire’s crime patterns are shaped by its geographic and demographic characteristics.

April 2023’s crime rate of 4.6 per 1,000 residents represents a 4.7% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.9 per 1,000, marking a continued downward trend. On a daily basis, this translates to approximately 81 crimes reported each day, a figure that is significantly lower than the UK average of 2.3 per 1,000 residents. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 215 residents, a ratio that highlights the relatively low frequency of criminal activity in Wiltshire compared to the national average. When scaled to the local population, the 2,431 crimes recorded in April correspond to a monthly exposure rate that is far below the UK’s 7.5 per 1,000. This disparity is particularly evident in categories such as vehicle crime and theft from the person, which were 56% and 100% below the UK average, respectively. The lower rates may be influenced by Wiltshire’s rural character, where fewer opportunities for certain types of crime—such as shoplifting in high-traffic urban areas—exist. Additionally, the district’s mix of small towns and open countryside may contribute to a more dispersed population, potentially reducing the likelihood of concentrated criminal activity. These factors, combined with the seasonal context of April, help explain the unique crime profile observed in Wiltshire relative to larger, more densely populated areas.