Crime in Blackbird Leys: statistics, rates and trends
763 crimes were recorded in Blackbird Leys in the 12 months to August 2026, 114.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Blackbird Leys at a glance
- Crime trends in Blackbird Leys
- Types of crime in Blackbird Leys
- Blackbird Leys compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Blackbird Leys
- What happened after crimes were reported in Blackbird Leys
- Demographics of Blackbird Leys
- Questions about crime in Blackbird Leys
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (284), shoplifting (117) and public order (75) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 922nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Blackbird Leys | Oxford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 763 | 17,767 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 114.5 | 107.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 6,665 | 166,034 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Blackbird Leys of any year here (763 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 763 | 114.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 801 | 120.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 843 | 126.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 896 | 134.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,031 | 154.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,018 | 152.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 878 | 131.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 941 | 141.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 897 | 134.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 79 |
| July 2026 | 68 |
| June 2026 | 64 |
| May 2026 | 72 |
| April 2026 | 88 |
| March 2026 | 55 |
| February 2026 | 48 |
| January 2026 | 48 |
| December 2025 | 64 |
| November 2025 | 59 |
| October 2025 | 64 |
| September 2025 | 54 |
Compared with England and Wales, Blackbird Leys recorded notably more bicycle theft (4.2 times the national rate), robbery (2.4 times the national rate) and shoplifting (2.1 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (55% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 86 to 117, while drugs fell from 48 to 30 and other theft fell from 76 to 53.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 284 | 42.6 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 117 | 17.6 | 8.5 | +36% |
| Public order | 75 | 11.3 | 6.7 | +7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 56 | 8.4 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Other theft | 53 | 8.0 | 6.4 | -30% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 46 | 6.9 | 15.4 | -19% |
| Drugs | 30 | 4.5 | 3.3 | -38% |
| Bicycle theft | 23 | 3.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 22 | 3.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 19 | 2.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 16 | 2.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 14 | 2.1 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Blackbird Leys; the highest is Littlemore (168.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Temple Cowley (76.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Blackbird Leys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northfield Brook | 680 | 96.7 | -16% |
| Cowley | 1,154 | 126.3 | +10% |
| Littlemore | 1,112 | 168.5 | +47% |
| Temple Cowley | 284 | 76.4 | -33% |
| Lye Valley | 689 | 78.4 | -31% |
| Rose Hill & Iffley | 651 | 91.2 | -20% |
| Donnington | 725 | 81.6 | -29% |
| Churchill | 699 | 86.8 | -24% |
The 10 locations below account for 55% of the crime recorded in Blackbird Leys over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Ambassador Avenue” (82).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Ambassador Avenue | 82 |
| On or near Druce Way | 63 |
| On or near Bobby Fryer Close | 54 |
| On or near Tucker Road | 48 |
| On or near Erica Close | 40 |
| On or near Parking Area | 39 |
| On or near Crowberry Road | 27 |
| On or near Ashmole Place | 24 |
| On or near Pegasus Road | 21 |
| On or near Moorbank | 20 |
Of the 717 crimes in Blackbird Leys with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 46 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 242 | 33.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 233 | 32.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 118 | 16.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 35 | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 26 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 20 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 16 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 2 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Blackbird Leys has an estimated population of 6,665 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (48%, against 17%), more residents with no qualifications (30%, against 18%) and more households without a car (36%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Blackbird Leys average decile 2.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Blackbird Leys | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 29.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 36.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 37.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 47.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Blackbird Leys a safe place to live?
Blackbird Leys recorded 114.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 922nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and robbery.
What is the most common crime in Blackbird Leys?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 284 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (117).
Is crime in Blackbird Leys going up or down?
Recorded crime in Blackbird Leys was down 5% on the year before: 763 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 801 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Blackbird Leys?
About 6,665 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Blackbird Leys?
Blackbird Leys 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.