Crime in Waverley: statistics, rates and trends
5,917 crimes were recorded in Waverley in the 12 months to August 2026, 44.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Waverley at a glance
- Crime trends in Waverley
- Types of crime in Waverley
- Home Office recorded crime in Waverley
- Waverley compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Waverley
- Streets with the most crime in Waverley
- What happened after crimes were reported in Waverley
- Demographics of Waverley
- Fly-tipping in Waverley
- Questions about crime in Waverley
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,257), anti-social behaviour (953) and public order (514) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 299th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Waverley | Surrey | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,917 | 87,794 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 44.1 | 70.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 134,284 | 1,248,649 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Waverley peaked in the year to August 2020 (8,120 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (5,889). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,917 | 44.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,889 | 43.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 6,496 | 48.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 6,450 | 48.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 6,746 | 50.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 7,833 | 58.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 8,120 | 60.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 7,822 | 58.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 7,079 | 52.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 573 |
| July 2026 | 592 |
| June 2026 | 502 |
| May 2026 | 545 |
| April 2026 | 473 |
| March 2026 | 479 |
| February 2026 | 446 |
| January 2026 | 454 |
| December 2025 | 436 |
| November 2025 | 445 |
| October 2025 | 491 |
| September 2025 | 481 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and theft from the person (84% below) and robbery (81% below) were well below it. On the year before, theft from the person rose from 21 to 36 and shoplifting rose from 382 to 469, while criminal damage and arson fell from 527 to 392 and other crime fell from 151 to 127.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,257 | 16.8 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 953 | 7.1 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Public order | 514 | 3.8 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Shoplifting | 469 | 3.5 | 8.5 | +23% |
| Other theft | 441 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 392 | 2.9 | 6.7 | -26% |
| Burglary | 262 | 2.0 | 3.6 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 228 | 1.7 | 5.0 | -13% |
| Drugs | 128 | 1.0 | 3.3 | +20% |
| Other crime | 127 | 0.9 | 2.1 | -16% |
| Possession of weapons | 47 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0% |
| Theft from the person | 36 | 0.3 | 1.7 | +71% |
| Robbery | 34 | 0.3 | 1.4 | +21% |
| Bicycle theft | 29 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5,036 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in Waverley in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 37.5 per 1,000 residents, lower than the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was up 2% on the year ending March 2025 (4,947), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 272 districts of England and Wales with a figure for that year, Waverley had the 2nd lowest rate (the street-level ranking above is among the 302 districts with street-level pages on this site, over the 12 months to August 2026).
Offences recorded in Waverley, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was violence without injury, with 872 offences (17% of the total). No category with at least 20 offences had a rate a quarter or more above the England and Wales rate. Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.11 times), bicycle theft (0.21 times) and trafficking of drugs (0.25 times).
The largest rises on the year were in arson (+40%) and possession of drugs (+37%). The largest falls were in other sexual offences (−23%) and vehicle offences (−19%). Robbery of business property and shoplifting are not compared with the year ending March 2025: from April 2025 the Home Office Counting Rules were clarified so that a theft from a shop in which violence is used or threatened against staff or anyone else is recorded as robbery of business property rather than shoplifting (ONS).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence without injury | 872 | 6.5 | 13.2 | 0.49 | +22% |
| Stalking and harassment | 674 | 5.0 | 10.1 | 0.50 | +3% |
| Public order offences | 525 | 3.9 | 7.0 | 0.56 | −6% |
| Violence with injury | 450 | 3.4 | 8.1 | 0.41 | −10% |
| Other theft offences | 446 | 3.3 | 6.5 | 0.51 | +4% |
| Criminal damage | 444 | 3.3 | 6.8 | 0.48 | −7% |
| Shoplifting | 433 | 3.2 | 8.1 | 0.40 | – |
| Vehicle offences | 235 | 1.8 | 5.0 | 0.35 | −19% |
| Residential burglary | 228 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 0.68 | +3% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 164 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 0.58 | +32% |
| Other sexual offences | 128 | 0.95 | 2.3 | 0.42 | −23% |
| Possession of drugs | 92 | 0.69 | 2.5 | 0.27 | +37% |
| Non-residential burglary | 69 | 0.51 | 1.1 | 0.46 | −9% |
| Rape | 63 | 0.47 | 1.2 | 0.39 | −16% |
| Possession of weapons | 59 | 0.44 | 1.00 | 0.44 | +37% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 39 | 0.29 | 1.2 | 0.25 | −9% |
| Arson | 28 | 0.21 | 0.38 | 0.55 | +40% |
| Theft from the person | 27 | 0.20 | 1.8 | 0.11 | +35% |
| Bicycle theft | 24 | 0.18 | 0.85 | 0.21 | +9% |
| Robbery of business property | 19 | 0.14 | 0.47 | 0.30 | – |
| Robbery of personal property | 10 | 0.07 | 0.91 | 0.08 | −38% |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 7 | 0.05 | 0.03 | 1.50 | +75% |
| Homicide | 0 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | – |
Recorded crime in Waverley since the year ending March 2013
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2013 to 2026. Waverley's rate was below the England and Wales rate in every one of those 14 years. Changes in how forces record crime move these figures as well as changes in crime (methodology).
| Year ending March | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5,036 | 37.5 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 4,947 | 36.8 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 5,715 | 42.6 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 5,825 | 43.4 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 5,802 | 43.2 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 5,670 | 42.2 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 6,146 | 45.8 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 5,998 | 44.7 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 5,277 | 39.3 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 4,889 | 36.4 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 4,522 | 33.7 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 4,081 | 30.4 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 3,686 | 27.4 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 3,744 | 27.9 | 56.7 |
Districts in the Surrey Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 11 districts in the Surrey Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Waverley had the lowest rate.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spelthorne | 8,066 | 75.3 | 0.91 |
| Guildford | 10,913 | 72.1 | 0.87 |
| Runnymede | 6,600 | 71.6 | 0.86 |
| Epsom and Ewell | 5,584 | 67.0 | 0.81 |
| Woking | 6,585 | 62.3 | 0.75 |
| Reigate and Banstead | 9,511 | 59.8 | 0.72 |
| Mole Valley | 4,822 | 54.4 | 0.65 |
| Tandridge | 4,884 | 53.9 | 0.65 |
| Surrey Heath | 4,886 | 51.7 | 0.62 |
| Elmbridge | 7,310 | 51.5 | 0.62 |
| Waverley | 5,036 | 37.5 | 0.45 |
Source: Home Office police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables (released 23 July 2026), gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Financial years, excluding fraud; how they differ from the street-level figures: methodology.
Every one of the 8 nearest districts has a higher crime rate than Waverley.
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Waverley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guildford | 12,259 | 81.0 | +84% |
| Rushmoor | 8,273 | 78.2 | +78% |
| Surrey Heath | 5,835 | 61.8 | +40% |
| Woking | 7,636 | 72.3 | +64% |
| Hart | 4,563 | 44.2 | 0% |
| East Hampshire | 6,149 | 47.3 | +7% |
| Bracknell Forest | 8,590 | 65.7 | +49% |
| Mole Valley | 5,798 | 65.4 | +48% |
Of the 42 areas within Waverley, Farnham Castle had the highest crime rate (109.3 per 1,000) and Godalming Holloway the lowest (16.6), 7 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farnham Castle | Neighbourhood | 6,057 | 662 | 109.3 |
| Alfold Crossways | Town | 2,124 | 194 | 91.3 |
| Godalming Central & Ockford | Neighbourhood | 5,952 | 469 | 78.8 |
| Alfold, Dunsfold & Hascombe | Neighbourhood | 3,761 | 244 | 64.9 |
| Cranleigh West | Neighbourhood | 6,251 | 379 | 60.6 |
| Badshot Lea | Town | 2,111 | 126 | 59.7 |
| Farnham | Town | 21,602 | 1,223 | 56.6 |
| Haslemere West | Neighbourhood | 6,493 | 359 | 55.3 |
| Haslemere | Town | 11,711 | 616 | 52.6 |
| Milford and Witley | Town | 5,371 | 277 | 51.6 |
| Godalming Farncombe & Catteshall | Neighbourhood | 5,410 | 260 | 48.1 |
| Elstead & Peper Harow | Neighbourhood | 2,952 | 140 | 47.4 |
| Godalming | Town | 12,465 | 580 | 46.5 |
| Haslemere East | Neighbourhood | 6,839 | 316 | 46.2 |
| Milford & Witley | Neighbourhood | 6,928 | 317 | 45.8 |
| Hindhead | Town | 5,748 | 262 | 45.6 |
| Farnham North West | Neighbourhood | 4,570 | 206 | 45.1 |
| Cranleigh | Town | 13,164 | 578 | 43.9 |
| Hindhead & Beacon Hill | Neighbourhood | 4,359 | 183 | 42.0 |
| Western Commons | Neighbourhood | 5,374 | 221 | 41.1 |
| Farnham Firgrove | Neighbourhood | 7,632 | 312 | 40.9 |
| Farnham Moor Park | Neighbourhood | 3,824 | 156 | 40.8 |
| Farncombe | Town | 12,343 | 490 | 39.7 |
| Farnham Heath End | Neighbourhood | 6,101 | 236 | 38.7 |
| Weybourne (Waverley) | Town | 12,188 | 444 | 36.4 |
| Hascombe | Town | 1,888 | 68 | 36.0 |
| Bramley and Wonersh | Town | 5,089 | 166 | 32.6 |
| Farnham Rowledge | Neighbourhood | 7,099 | 222 | 31.3 |
| Farnham Weybourne | Neighbourhood | 4,560 | 142 | 31.1 |
| Bramley & Wonersh | Neighbourhood | 10,320 | 320 | 31.0 |
| Chiddingfold | Town | 2,437 | 74 | 30.4 |
| Shamley Green | Town | 1,999 | 60 | 30.0 |
| Godalming Binscombe & Charterhouse | Neighbourhood | 8,919 | 266 | 29.8 |
| Cranleigh East | Neighbourhood | 6,913 | 199 | 28.8 |
| Wrecclesham | Town | 8,496 | 244 | 28.7 |
| Churt | Town | 1,150 | 33 | 28.7 |
| Frensham | Town | 1,367 | 38 | 27.8 |
| Elstead | Town | 1,766 | 48 | 27.2 |
| Ewhurst | Town | 2,452 | 58 | 23.7 |
| Ewhurst & Ellens Green | Neighbourhood | 2,452 | 58 | 23.7 |
| Farnham Bourne | Neighbourhood | 4,554 | 101 | 22.2 |
| Godalming Holloway | Neighbourhood | 4,527 | 75 | 16.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 19% of the crime recorded in Waverley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (314).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 314 |
| On or near Supermarket | 262 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 125 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 91 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 88 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 65 |
| On or near Guildford Road | 53 |
| On or near The Borough | 52 |
| On or near High Street | 50 |
| On or near A325 | 41 |
Of the 4,964 crimes in Waverley with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 953 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,839 | 37.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,578 | 31.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 673 | 13.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 261 | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 220 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 180 | 3.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 71 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 55 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 42 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 29 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Waverley has an estimated population of 134,284 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (11%, against 23%), more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (47%, against 34%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (11%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Waverley average decile 8.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Waverley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 46.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.5 | 5.5 (England) |
715 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Waverley in 2024/25 (5.3 per 1,000 residents, against 21.1 across the councils in England that count all incidents), according to the council's return to Defra. Fly-tipping is not in the police figures on this page: fly-tipping in Waverley has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Waverley a safe place to live?
Waverley recorded 44.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 299th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Waverley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,257 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (953).
Is crime in Waverley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Waverley was almost unchanged on the year before: 5,917 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,889 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Waverley?
About 134,284 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Waverley?
Waverley is policed by Surrey.
How many crimes did the police record in Waverley in the year ending March 2026?
5,036 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 37.5 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 4,947.
Which offences are more common in Waverley than across England and Wales?
None: no category with at least 20 offences had a rate a quarter or more above the England and Wales rate in the year ending March 2026. The largest category was violence without injury (872).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.