Crime in Abbey, Reading: statistics, rates and trends
4,504 crimes were recorded in Abbey, Reading in the 12 months to August 2026, 429.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- 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
- Demographics of Abbey, Reading
- Questions about crime in Abbey, Reading
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,331), shoplifting (1,011) and public order (446) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 28th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Abbey, Reading | Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,504 | 20,492 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 429.2 | 112.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 10,494 | 182,907 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Abbey, Reading peaked in the year to August 2023 (4,789 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (3,085). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 2%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,504 | 429.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,310 | 410.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,485 | 427.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,789 | 456.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,465 | 425.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,166 | 301.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,085 | 294.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,582 | 341.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,404 | 419.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 415 |
| 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 |
Compared with England and Wales, Abbey, Reading recorded notably more bicycle theft (14.4 times the national rate), shoplifting (11.4 times the national rate) and theft from the person (6.6 times the national rate). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 21 to 32 and shoplifting rose from 713 to 1,011, while theft from the person fell from 240 to 117 and bicycle theft fell from 163 to 125.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,331 | 126.8 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 1,011 | 96.3 | 8.5 | +42% |
| Public order | 446 | 42.5 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 370 | 35.3 | 15.4 | +9% |
| Other theft | 362 | 34.5 | 6.4 | -1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 211 | 20.1 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Bicycle theft | 125 | 11.9 | 0.8 | -23% |
| Vehicle crime | 123 | 11.7 | 5.0 | +9% |
| Drugs | 120 | 11.4 | 3.3 | +29% |
| Theft from the person | 117 | 11.1 | 1.7 | -51% |
| Burglary | 115 | 11.0 | 3.6 | -13% |
| Robbery | 86 | 8.2 | 1.4 | -12% |
| Other crime | 55 | 5.2 | 2.1 | +12% |
| Possession of weapons | 32 | 3.0 | 1.0 | +52% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
The 10 locations below account for 56% of the crime recorded in Abbey, Reading over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (871).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 871 |
| On or near Cross Street | 274 |
| On or near Parking Area | 248 |
| On or near St Mary'S Butts | 177 |
| On or near Nightclub | 172 |
| On or near Supermarket | 171 |
| On or near Friar Street | 169 |
| On or near West Street | 159 |
| On or near Station Road | 154 |
| On or near Merchants Place | 105 |
Of the 4,134 crimes in Abbey, Reading with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 370 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,774 | 42.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,009 | 24.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 566 | 13.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 285 | 6.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 189 | 4.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 129 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 117 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 27 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 14 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 4 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 4 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Abbey, Reading has an estimated population of 10,494 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (67%, against 20%), more households without a car (59%, against 23%) and a younger population (4.7%, against 18.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Abbey, Reading average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Abbey, Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 4.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 69.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 5.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 54.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 59.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 21.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 67.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Abbey, Reading a safe place to live?
Abbey, Reading recorded 429.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 28th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Abbey, Reading?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,331 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (1,011).
Is crime in Abbey, Reading going up or down?
Recorded crime in Abbey, Reading was up 5% on the year before: 4,504 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,310 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Abbey, Reading?
About 10,494 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 4.7% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Abbey, Reading?
Abbey, Reading is policed by Thames Valley.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.