Old Sarum Crime Rate January 2024 | Monthly Statistics

January 2024 saw an unexpected surge in shoplifting and burglary in Old Sarum, a built-up area within Wiltshire, marking the most significant month-on-month shift in the area's crime profile. Despite this, the overall crime rate of 5.7 per 1,000 residents remains 23% below the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000—a figure that underscores the area's consistently low crime environment. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 33.3% of all reported crimes, the highest proportion of any category, though their rate (1.9 per 1,000) is 27% below the UK average. Anti-social behaviour (21.2% of all crimes) and criminal damage (15.2%) were the next most common categories, with the latter exceeding the UK average by 58%. Seasonal factors may partly explain these patterns, as January's post-holiday period and shorter daylight hours could reduce retail footfall, contributing to the 100% rise in shoplifting. However, the absence of detailed retail activity data means this remains speculative. The area's low population density (5,826 residents) and rural character likely contribute to its lower overall crime rate, though the exact relationship between geography and crime trends requires further analysis.

Three crime types—shoplifting, burglary, and other theft—each saw a 100% month-on-month increase, rising from zero to three incidents. This surge contrasts sharply with a 66.7% drop in public order offences, which fell from three to one. The area's violent crime rate (1.9 per 1,000) is 27% below the UK average for violence and sexual offences (2.6 per 1,000), while anti-social behaviour (1.2 per 1,000) is 21% above the UK average (1.0 per 1,000). These divergent trends suggest a combination of local factors. Residents may find the doubling of burglary incidents particularly notable, given the area's generally low crime profile. The 100% rise in shoplifting could reflect post-holiday retail patterns, though seasonal footfall data is not available to confirm this hypothesis.

Old Sarum's crime rate in January 2024 (5.7 per 1,000 residents) reflects a 49.7% increase from December 2023's 3.8 per 1,000, marking the first monthly rise in the past year. Daily crime figures show one reported crime per day on average—a rate consistent with the area's historically low overall crime profile. Over the course of January, one crime occurred for every 177 residents, a figure that contextualises the monthly exposure for local residents. This rate is lower than the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000, with Old Sarum's population of 5,826 contributing to a more sparse distribution of incidents. The shift from December to January highlights seasonal fluctuations. While the built-up area's low population density likely contributes to lower absolute crime numbers, the month-on-month increase suggests a temporary disruption in local patterns.