Crime in Cambridgeshire: statistics, rates and trends
54,865 crimes were recorded in Cambridgeshire in the 12 months to August 2026, 77.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Cambridgeshire at a glance
- Crime trends in Cambridgeshire
- Types of crime in Cambridgeshire
- Cambridgeshire compared with nearby counties
- Areas within Cambridgeshire
- What happened after crimes were reported in Cambridgeshire
- Demographics of Cambridgeshire
- Questions about crime in Cambridgeshire
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (18,911), anti-social behaviour (9,953) and shoplifting (4,607) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 12th of the 20 counties covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Cambridgeshire | East of England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 54,865 | 530,364 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 77.2 | 80.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 710,317 | 6,576,306 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Cambridgeshire of any year here (54,865 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 3%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 54,865 | 77.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 53,604 | 75.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 53,261 | 75.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 53,952 | 76.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 52,471 | 73.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 49,750 | 70.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 52,948 | 74.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 53,625 | 75.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 53,257 | 75.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 5,222 |
| July 2026 | 5,033 |
| June 2026 | 5,137 |
| May 2026 | 4,868 |
| April 2026 | 4,402 |
| March 2026 | 4,494 |
| February 2026 | 3,916 |
| January 2026 | 4,388 |
| December 2025 | 4,093 |
| November 2025 | 4,337 |
| October 2025 | 4,513 |
| September 2025 | 4,462 |
Compared with England and Wales, Cambridgeshire recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.2 times the national rate), and notably less robbery (62% below) and theft from the person (60% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 1,192 to 1,969.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 18,911 | 26.6 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 9,953 | 14.0 | 15.4 | +4% |
| Shoplifting | 4,607 | 6.5 | 8.5 | -10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 4,283 | 6.0 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Other theft | 3,483 | 4.9 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Public order | 2,840 | 4.0 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 2,361 | 3.3 | 5.0 | -2% |
| Burglary | 2,084 | 2.9 | 3.6 | -1% |
| Drugs | 1,969 | 2.8 | 3.3 | +65% |
| Other crime | 1,519 | 2.1 | 2.1 | +13% |
| Bicycle theft | 1,289 | 1.8 | 0.8 | -5% |
| Possession of weapons | 717 | 1.0 | 1.0 | +9% |
| Theft from the person | 479 | 0.7 | 1.7 | -7% |
| Robbery | 370 | 0.5 | 1.4 | +11% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest counties have a higher crime rate than Cambridgeshire; the highest is Lincolnshire (92.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Suffolk (61.9).
| County | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Cambridgeshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hertfordshire | 106,430 | 86.1 | +11% |
| Suffolk | 48,655 | 61.9 | -20% |
| Essex | 125,970 | 80.6 | +4% |
| Norfolk | 66,675 | 70.9 | -8% |
| Lincolnshire | 72,613 | 92.0 | +19% |
| Leicestershire | 51,097 | 68.5 | -11% |
| Warwickshire | 51,630 | 81.7 | +6% |
| Oxfordshire | 51,303 | 67.2 | -13% |
Of the 5 areas within Cambridgeshire, Cambridge had the highest crime rate (111.1 per 1,000) and South Cambridgeshire the lowest (59.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | District | 149,352 | 16,597 | 111.1 |
| Fenland | District | 104,896 | 9,525 | 90.8 |
| Huntingdonshire | District | 190,619 | 12,946 | 67.9 |
| East Cambridgeshire | District | 92,906 | 5,607 | 60.4 |
| South Cambridgeshire | District | 172,544 | 10,190 | 59.1 |
Of the 44,912 crimes in Cambridgeshire with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 9,953 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 16,590 | 36.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 15,269 | 34.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 4,907 | 10.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2,651 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,685 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 1,284 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 1,221 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 567 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 523 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 76 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 54 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 46 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Cambridgeshire has an estimated population of 710,317 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Cambridgeshire average decile 7.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Cambridgeshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 39.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 1.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Cambridgeshire a safe place to live?
Cambridgeshire recorded 77.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 12th of the 20 counties on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Cambridgeshire?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 18,911 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (9,953).
Is crime in Cambridgeshire going up or down?
Recorded crime in Cambridgeshire was up 2% on the year before: 54,865 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 53,604 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Cambridgeshire?
About 710,317 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Cambridgeshire?
Cambridgeshire is policed by Cambridgeshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.