Crime in Abbey, Reading: statistics, rates and trends
4,527 crimes were recorded in Abbey, Reading in the 12 months to July 2026, 431.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Abbey, Reading at a glance
- Crime trends in Abbey, Reading
- Types of crime in Abbey, Reading
- Abbey, Reading compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Abbey, Reading
- What happened after crimes were reported in Abbey, Reading
- Population and deprivation in Abbey, Reading
- Questions about crime in Abbey, Reading
- About this data
4,527 crimes were recorded in Abbey, Reading in the 12 months to July 2026, 431.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 7% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 1,376 reports (30% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Abbey, Reading has the 27th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Abbey, Reading | Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 4,527 | 20,512 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 431.4 | 112.1 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 10,494 | 182,907 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Abbey, Reading was highest in the year to July 2023 (4,800 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2021 (3,089). Over the whole period it fell 1%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 4,527 | 431.4 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 4,236 | 403.7 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 4,524 | 431.1 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 4,800 | 457.4 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 4,437 | 422.8 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 3,089 | 294.4 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 3,096 | 295.0 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 3,556 | 338.9 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 4,567 | 435.2 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 463 |
| June 2026 | 390 |
| May 2026 | 399 |
| April 2026 | 398 |
| March 2026 | 391 |
| February 2026 | 335 |
| January 2026 | 338 |
| December 2025 | 350 |
| November 2025 | 352 |
| October 2025 | 313 |
| September 2025 | 360 |
| August 2025 | 438 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Abbey, Reading over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for violence and sexual offences, shoplifting, public order.
The largest increases were in shoplifting (+39%) and possession of weapons (+38%). The largest falls were in theft from the person (-50%) and bicycle theft (-16%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,376 | 131.1 | 3.83 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 963 | 91.8 | 11.08 | +39% |
| Public order | 462 | 44.0 | 6.63 | +19% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 368 | 35.1 | 2.29 | +10% |
| Other theft | 352 | 33.5 | 5.25 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 208 | 19.8 | 2.92 | -5% |
| Bicycle theft | 131 | 12.5 | 15.17 | -16% |
| Vehicle crime | 131 | 12.5 | 2.53 | +30% |
| Drugs | 123 | 11.7 | 3.58 | +35% |
| Theft from the person | 122 | 11.6 | 6.88 | -50% |
| Burglary | 121 | 11.5 | 3.26 | -7% |
| Robbery | 86 | 8.2 | 6.07 | -4% |
| Other crime | 55 | 5.2 | 2.48 | +10% |
| Possession of weapons | 29 | 2.8 | 2.85 | +38% |
Violence and sexual offences in Abbey, Reading
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Abbey, Reading recorded 1,376 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (131.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 3% on the year before. It made up 30.4% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Abbey, Reading
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Abbey, Reading recorded 963 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (91.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 39% on the year before. It made up 21.3% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Abbey, Reading
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Abbey, Reading recorded 462 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (44.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 19% on the year before. It made up 10.2% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Abbey, Reading
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Abbey, Reading recorded 368 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (35.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 10% on the year before. It made up 8.1% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Abbey, Reading
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Abbey, Reading recorded 352 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (33.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 7.8% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Abbey, Reading
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Abbey, Reading recorded 208 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (19.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 5% on the year before. It made up 4.6% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Abbey, Reading
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Abbey, Reading recorded 131 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (12.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 16% on the year before. It made up 2.9% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Abbey, Reading
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Abbey, Reading recorded 131 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (12.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and up 30% on the year before. It made up 2.9% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Abbey, Reading
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Abbey, Reading recorded 123 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (11.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 35% on the year before. It made up 2.7% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Abbey, Reading
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Abbey, Reading recorded 122 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (11.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 2.7% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Abbey, Reading
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Abbey, Reading recorded 121 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (11.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 2.7% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Abbey, Reading
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Abbey, Reading recorded 86 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (8.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 4% on the year before. It made up 1.9% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Abbey, Reading
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Abbey, Reading recorded 55 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 10% on the year before. It made up 1.2% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Abbey, Reading
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Abbey, Reading recorded 29 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 38% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Abbey, Reading, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Abbey, Reading.
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Abbey, Reading over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 870 |
| On or near Parking Area | 243 |
| On or near Cross Street | 242 |
| On or near St Mary'S Butts | 186 |
| On or near Nightclub | 178 |
| On or near Supermarket | 176 |
| On or near Friar Street | 167 |
| On or near West Street | 165 |
| On or near Station Road | 152 |
| On or near Merchants Place | 109 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Abbey, Reading over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,754 | 38.7% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,035 | 22.9% |
| Under investigation | 576 | 12.7% |
| Not recorded | 368 | 8.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 253 | 5.6% |
| Local resolution | 192 | 4.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 150 | 3.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 131 | 2.9% |
| Offender given a caution | 32 | 0.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 15 | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 4 | 0.1% |
Abbey, Reading has an estimated population of 10,494. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Abbey, Reading sits in decile 4.8, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Abbey, Reading |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.3% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 82.0% |
| Aged 65 and over | 4.7% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 21.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.3% |
| Private rented homes | 67.2% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 |
Is Abbey, Reading a safe place to live?
Abbey, Reading recorded 431.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Abbey, Reading?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,376 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by shoplifting (963).
Is crime in Abbey, Reading going up or down?
Recorded crime in Abbey, Reading was up 7% on the year before: 4,527 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 4,236 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Abbey, Reading?
Abbey, Reading is policed by Thames Valley. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Abbey, Reading. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.