Fall in Criminal Activity: Report

The news is often full of stories about criminal activity going on in our towns and cities, from low-level crime like anti-social behaviour to much more serious offences. While headlines about unsavoury characters and criminal goings-on fill our newsfeeds, they can paint an overly negative view of the state of law and order in the UK.

In fact, many parts of the country have seen crime rates fall considerably over the past few years, making our streets much safer for locals and visitors alike. With this in mind, the security experts at Get Licensed decided to create this Crime Decline Report, shining a light on the areas where the number of crimes is falling the fastest.

This report will investigate the overall number of crimes in different parts of the country, as well as break the data down into different types of crime, allowing you to see which areas are doing the best at tackling different offences. We will also contrast recent changes in crime rates with the number of SIA licence holders in each area to reveal where qualified security professionals are most in demand.

South Ribble has seen the biggest decrease in crime since pre-Covid levels

1. South Ribble                                     3-Year Difference: 6,661 fewer crimes

                                                              3-Year % Change: -47.21%

The area with the biggest decrease in crime since 2019 is South Ribble, which saw 6,661 fewer crimes in 2022 than it did three years earlier, a reduction of 47.21%. The South Ribble area is situated immediately south of Preston, in West Lancashire, and includes the towns of Leyland, Bamber Bridge and Penwortham.

2. Cheshire East                                    3-Year Difference: 9,436 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -30.15%

Another Northwest location, the area of Cheshire East saw the second-highest reduction in crime from 2019 to 2022 with 9,436 fewer crimes being recorded, which is equal to a drop of 30.15%. Cheshire East is located to the South of Manchester and North of Stoke-on-Trent, bordering the Peak District to the East. The railway hub of Crewe is the largest town in the area, with other notable settlements including Macclesfield, Wilmslow and Nantwich.

3. Broxbourne                                       3-Year Difference: 1,960 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -24.05%

The district of Broxbourne is the area with the third-largest decrease in crime since 2019, with 1,960 fewer offences being recorded in 2022, translating to a fall of 24.05%. The town of Broxbourne, from which the district takes its name, is the largest urban area in this part of Southern Hertfordshire which borders Greater London.

Violent crime is falling fastest in South Ribble

1. South Ribble                                     3-Year Difference: 2,038 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -38.01%

South Ribble had the biggest decrease in violent crime from 2019 to 2022, with the number of crimes falling from 5,362 to 3,324. This is equal to a reduction of 38.01%, showing that South Ribble has become a much safer place in recent years.

2. Cheshire East                                    3-Year Difference: 2,164 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -18.14%

Cheshire East has the second-biggest reduction in violent crime at 18.14%, with the number of crimes falling from 11,928 to 9,764 since 2019. This means that 2,164 fewer violent crimes are now committed in the area, increasing the safety of residents and visitors.

3. Bridgend                                            3-Year Difference: 466 fewer crimes

                                                              3-Year % Change: -10.60%

Bridgend has the third-biggest decrease in violent crime at 10.60%, with 466 fewer crimes committed in 2022. Life in this South Wales town, approximately halfway between Cardiff and Swansea, is much more peaceful, with the number of violent crimes falling from 4,397 to 3,931.

Sexual offences in Gwynedd and South Ribble fall by more than 20%

1. South Ribble                                     3-Year Difference: 101 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -25.70%

South Ribble is also the UK area with the greatest fall in sexual offences, with 101 fewer crimes committed in 2022 than in 2019. This 25.70% reduction saw the number of sexual offences fall from 393 to 292 per year over three years.

2. Gwynedd                                           3-Year Difference: 99 fewer crimes

                                                              3-Year % Change: -20.80%

The second-biggest decrease in sexual crime was seen in Gwynedd, a mostly rural region of Northwest Wales which includes the towns of Bangor and Caernarfon, as well as the Snowdonia National Park. Here, the total number of sexual crimes recorded in 2022 was 377, which is 99 fewer sexual crimes than in 2019, when the annual total stood at 476. This is equal to a reduction of 20.80%. 

3. Rossendale                                        3-Year Difference: 36 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -18.27%

Rossendale is the UK area with the third-biggest decrease in sexual crime since 2019, with numbers falling by 18.27% in this Lancashire borough. The total number of sexual crimes in the area in 2022 was 161, which is 36 fewer than the 2019 figure of 197.

Theft offences plummet by more than 50% in South Ribble

1. South Ribble                                     3-Year Difference: 2,998 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -61.28%

South Ribble again takes the top spot, this time for the biggest decrease in theft offences, which fell an impressive 61.28% in the three years since 2019. This reduction saw numbers fall from 4,892 crimes in 2019 to just 1,894 in 2022.

2. Cheshire East                                    3-Year Difference: 3,472 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -41.07%

Cheshire East makes another appearance in our top scorers, this time with the second-biggest reduction in theft offences of 41.07%. This represents 3,472 fewer theft offences being committed in the area, with the total for 2022 standing at 4,981.

3. North Lincolnshire                           3-Year Difference: 2,366 fewer crimes

                                                            3-Year % Change: -38.93%

The area with the third-greatest reduction in theft offences is North Lincolnshire, which sits on the South side of the Humber River and includes the towns of Scunthorpe, Brigg and Barton-upon-Humber. Here, the number of theft crimes fell by 38.93% from 6,078 in 2019 to 3,712 in 2022.

Robberies fall by over 50% in 7 UK areas

1. South Ribble                                     3-Year Difference: 84 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -65.63%

South Ribble has also seen the largest decrease in the number of robberies since 2019, falling from 128 to just 44 in 2022. This sharp fall is equal to a reduction of 65.63% and means robberies, which are thefts involving physical force, are incredibly rare in this part of Lancashire.

2. East Riding of Yorkshire                 3-Year Difference: 56 fewer crimes

                                                           3-Year % Change: -53.33%

The East Riding of Yorkshire saw the second-biggest decrease in robberies in the three years since 2019, with the number of offences falling by 53.33%. In 2022, the number of crimes in the area, which includes the towns of Beverly, Goole and Bridlington, stood at 49, which is 56 fewer than the 2019 total of 105.

3. Ashford                                              3-Year Difference: 74 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -52.86%

The town of Ashford, in Kent, saw the third-biggest decrease in the number of robberies at 52.86%. This is equal to 74 fewer robberies being committed in the area since 2019, falling from 140 to just 66 in 2022.

Criminal damage and arson fell the most in these UK areas

1. South Ribble                                     3-Year Difference: 824

                                                              3-Year % Change: 44.78%

The area with the biggest decrease in criminal damage and arson is also South Ribble, where the number of offences fell from 1,840 in 2019 to 1,016 in 2022. This is equal to a reduction of 44.78%.

2. Cheshire East                                    3-Year Difference: 1,284

                                                             3-Year % Change: 39.99%

Cheshire East once again follows up in second place, this time with a reduction in criminal damage and arson offences of 39.99%. The area saw a total of 3,211 crimes in 2019, dropping by 1,284 for a 2022 total of 1,927.

3. South Oxfordshire                            3-Year Difference: 351

                                                             3-Year % Change: -35.82%

South Oxfordshire saw the third-biggest decrease in criminal damage and arson offences at 35.82%. The area, which includes the towns of Didcot, Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames, saw the number of offences fall by 351 since 2019 for a total of 629 in 2022.

South Ribble, Broxbourne and Charnwood see the biggest reduction in drug offences

1. South Ribble                                     3-Year Difference: 123 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -60.29%

South Ribble is the UK area with the biggest reduction in drug offences since 2019, with the overall number of recorded offences dropping by 60.29%. This represents 123 fewer drug offences, falling from 204 in 2019 to just 81 in 2022.

2. Broxbourne                                       3-Year Difference: 226 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -54.85%

Broxbourne had the second-largest reduction in drug crime since 2019, falling from 412 offences to a total of 186 in 2022. With 226 fewer recorded crimes, Broxbourne has seen a 54.85% reduction in drug offences in the last three years.

3. Charnwood                                        3-Year Difference: 307 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -51.60%

Charnwood is the UK area with the third-biggest reduction in drug-related offences since 2019. The area, which borders Leicester to the South and includes the town of Loughborough, saw the number of drug offences fall by 307 in the three years since 2019 for a total of 288 in 2022. This equates to a fall reduction of 51.60%.

Folkestone and Hythe see a huge fall in possession of weapon offences

1. Folkestone and Hythe                      3-Year Difference: 184 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -62.80%

The area around the towns of Folkestone and Hythe, on the Kent coast, saw the biggest reduction in offences relating to the possession of weapons. The number of such offences fell by 184 from the area’s 2019 total of 293 to just 109 in 2022, which equates to a reduction of 62.80%.

2. Mid Sussex                                        3-Year Difference: 52 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -46.42%

Mid Sussex had the second-largest reduction in possession of weapons charges, falling by 46.42% from 2019 to 2022. In 2019, the total number of offences in the largely rural area, which includes the towns of Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath and East Grinstead, was 112, which fell by 52 for a total of 60 weapons offences in 2022.

3. Stevenage                                          3-Year Difference: 42 fewer crimes

                                                              3-Year % Change: -41.58%

The Hertfordshire town of Stevenage saw the third-biggest fall in possession of weapons offences, falling by 42 from a 2019 total of 101 to just 59 in 2022. This is equal to a reduction of 41.58%.

Public order offences fell by up to 50% in these UK areas

1. South Ribble                                     3-Year Difference: 476 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -49.74%

South Ribble also saw the biggest fall in the number of public order offences, dropping by 49.74% in the three years since 2019, when the total number of offences stood at 957. By 2022, this figure had fallen by 476 to 481, approximately half the previous number.

2. Cheshire East                                    3-Year Difference: 2,216 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -40.78%

Cheshire East saw the second-largest reduction in the number of public order offences, falling from 5,434 in 2019 to 3,218 in 2022. This decrease of 2,216 crimes is equal to a drop of 40.78%.

3. Broxbourne                                       3-Year Difference: 208 fewer crimes

                                                             3-Year % Change: -36.30%

Broxbourne had the third-largest reduction in public order offences since 2019, with the number of recorded crimes falling by 36.30%. This is equal to 208 fewer public order offences, with the total falling from 573 in 2019 to 365 in 2022.

Biggest annual increase in SIA licence holders seen in Lincoln

SIA licences are a legal requirement for anyone working in a private security role in the UK. This includes positions like security guards and door supervisors at events or licenced premises. Holding an SIA licence proves that you are a ‘fit and proper’ person for security work, and have received the necessary training to the standards required by the UK government.

With this in mind, we wanted to see if there was a link between the number of SIA licence holders in an area and the number of crimes. It could be that more security professionals mean a lower crime rate or, alternatively, a higher crime rate could mean more jobs being available for properly trained security personnel.

In this section, we will reveal the locations where the number of SIA licence holders has increased the most in the last year, and compare this to changes in crime numbers over the same period.

1. Lincoln                                               1-Year Difference: +154 SIA licence holders

                                                                   1-Year % Increase: 13.95%

Lincoln is the UK area with the biggest increase in SIA licence holders in the last year, rising by 13.95% for a 2022 total of 1,258. During the same period, the amount of recorded crime in Lincoln rose 17.52%, the 32nd highest in the country out of 297 areas. This suggests that the high volume of crime could be driving up the demand for qualified security professionals in the city.

Violent crime is the most common type of criminal activity in Lincoln, with 5,440 offences recorded in 2022, which is followed by theft with 4,550 offences.

2. Middlesbrough and Stockton         1-Year Difference: +361 SIA licence holders

                                                                 1-Year % Increase: 11.71%

The area of Middlesbrough and Stockton had the second-highest increase in SIA licence holders from 2021 to 2022 at 11.71%. The 361 extra licenced security professionals in the area will be welcome news for law enforcement and local residents, as both Middlesbrough and neighbouring Stockton-on-Tees are in the top 20% of areas with the biggest annual increase in crime.

Middlesbrough saw the total number of crimes rise by 13.55% from 24,458 in 2021 to 27,772 in 2022. Meanwhile, crime in Stockton rose by even more quickly at 17.93%, going from 20,077 crimes in 2021 to 23,676 in 2022.

3. Dundee                                               1-Year Difference: +78 SIA licence holders

                                                                    1-Year % Increase: 11.50%

Dundee had the third-highest increase in SIA licence holders from 2021 to 2022, rising by 11.50% from 678 to 756. In 2022, it was reported that Dundee City had the highest crime rate in Scotland with 688 crimes reported per 10,000 people. This high relative crime rate could have driven job growth in the security sector, increasing demand for properly qualified security professionals.

Methodology

We wanted to reveal which parts of the country have seen the biggest decrease in crime in recent years. To do this, we looked at ONS crime statistics in each Community Safety Partnership area in England and Wales, comparing the number of crimes committed in 2019 with those committed in 2022.

This three-year period was chosen as 2022 is the most recent year for which full data was available, and 2019 is the most recent other year for which data would not have been impacted by the Covid pandemic, during which crime rates fell across the board due to restrictions.

The total number of crimes in each area was compared, as were the total number of crimes within different categories, such as theft or public order, allowing us to see which parts of the country are tackling which types of crime most effectively.

Areas with fewer than 100 crimes committed in 2019 were removed from each section, as a reduction in the number of crimes would have created a disproportionately large % decrease.

We also looked at data from the Security Industry Authority which showed the number of SIA licence holders in different parts of the country at the end of 2021 and 2022. We ranked the areas by the % increase between these two years and compared those areas with the largest increase in SIA licence holders with the % increase in crime over the same period.

Areas with fewer than 100 SIA licence holders in 2021 were removed from the study, as any increase to their number would have produced a disproportionately large % increase.