Crime in Suffolk: statistics, rates and trends
48,655 crimes were recorded in Suffolk in the 12 months to August 2026, 61.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (21,303), shoplifting (4,545) and criminal damage and arson (4,472) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 20th of the 20 counties covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Suffolk | East of England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 48,655 | 530,364 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 61.9 | 80.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 786,231 | 6,576,306 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Suffolk peaked in the year to August 2018 (62,322 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (47,810). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 48,655 | 61.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 47,810 | 60.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 50,172 | 63.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 55,451 | 70.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 61,664 | 78.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 57,278 | 72.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 58,727 | 74.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 60,181 | 76.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 62,322 | 79.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 4,060 |
| July 2026 | 4,719 |
| June 2026 | 4,324 |
| May 2026 | 4,226 |
| April 2026 | 4,037 |
| March 2026 | 4,114 |
| February 2026 | 3,618 |
| January 2026 | 3,951 |
| December 2025 | 3,771 |
| November 2025 | 3,709 |
| October 2025 | 4,218 |
| September 2025 | 3,908 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and theft from the person (83% below) and robbery (72% below) were well below it. On the year before, robbery rose from 246 to 302 and shoplifting rose from 3,779 to 4,545, while theft from the person fell from 274 to 231.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 21,303 | 27.1 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 4,545 | 5.8 | 8.5 | +20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 4,472 | 5.7 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 3,978 | 5.1 | 15.4 | +3% |
| Other theft | 3,325 | 4.2 | 6.4 | -4% |
| Public order | 2,896 | 3.7 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Vehicle crime | 2,003 | 2.5 | 5.0 | +5% |
| Burglary | 1,727 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -3% |
| Other crime | 1,513 | 1.9 | 2.1 | +6% |
| Drugs | 1,278 | 1.6 | 3.3 | -6% |
| Possession of weapons | 687 | 0.9 | 1.0 | +5% |
| Bicycle theft | 395 | 0.5 | 0.8 | -15% |
| Robbery | 302 | 0.4 | 1.4 | +23% |
| Theft from the person | 231 | 0.3 | 1.7 | -16% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest counties has a higher crime rate than Suffolk.
| County | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Suffolk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 66,675 | 70.9 | +15% |
| Essex | 125,970 | 80.6 | +30% |
| Cambridgeshire | 54,865 | 77.2 | +25% |
| Hertfordshire | 106,430 | 86.1 | +39% |
| Kent | 145,778 | 88.9 | +44% |
| Lincolnshire | 72,613 | 92.0 | +49% |
| Surrey | 87,794 | 70.3 | +14% |
| East Sussex | 51,507 | 91.8 | +48% |
Of the 5 areas within Suffolk, Ipswich had the highest crime rate (100.3 per 1,000) and Mid Suffolk the lowest (41.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich | District | 140,274 | 14,071 | 100.3 |
| West Suffolk | District | 188,485 | 11,225 | 59.6 |
| East Suffolk | District | 249,664 | 14,335 | 57.4 |
| Babergh | District | 97,033 | 4,466 | 46.0 |
| Mid Suffolk | District | 110,775 | 4,558 | 41.1 |
Of the 44,677 crimes in Suffolk with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 3,978 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 15,110 | 33.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 12,377 | 27.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 5,931 | 13.3% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2,957 | 6.6% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2,687 | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,691 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 1,553 | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 1,335 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 424 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 320 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 123 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 107 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Suffolk has an estimated population of 786,231 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.9%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%) and an older population (24%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Suffolk average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Suffolk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Suffolk a safe place to live?
Suffolk recorded 61.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 20th of the 20 counties on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Suffolk?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 21,303 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (4,545).
Is crime in Suffolk going up or down?
Recorded crime in Suffolk was up 2% on the year before: 48,655 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 47,810 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Suffolk?
About 786,231 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Suffolk?
Suffolk is policed by Suffolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.