A recent crime map has exposed the areas in Gloucestershire where residents are most at risk of mugging, carjacking, and robbery by intimidation. Last year, Gloucestershire Constabulary recorded 391 robbery offences—crimes involving the use or threat of force to steal.
Robbery includes street mugging, intimidation to induce theft, carjacking, armed robberies, and bank robberies. Unlike simple theft, robbery carries harsher penalties due to its violent nature and the significant psychological impact on victims, sometimes leading to long-term conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The maximum sentence for robbery in the UK is life imprisonment.
Data shows that robberies predominantly occur in busy urban centres rather than residential neighborhoods. Central Gloucester & Hempsted reported the highest number of robberies last year with 83 incidents, averaging one robbery every four days. Barton in Gloucester followed with 26 robberies, while Cheltenham’s Lansdown and Montpellier areas had 22 incidents.
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When comparing robbery risk by population size, Central Gloucester & Hempsted again topped the list with a crime rate of seven robberies per 1,000 residents. Barton and Cheltenham’s St Paul’s area both recorded three robberies per 1,000 residents. It’s important to note that crime rates in bustling city centres may be influenced by a high number of visitors, potentially skewing figures.
These statistics cover more than 7,000 neighbourhoods across England and Wales, based on Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs) with populations between 7,000 and 10,000 residents. However, data for Greater Manchester is unavailable as the local police force did not provide figures for the past year. The numbers also exclude crimes reported at train stations, which are recorded separately by British Transport Police.
Residents can explore detailed local data through an interactive map, helping them understand the safety of their neighbourhoods and the prevalence of robbery incidents nearby.