Crime in By Brook: statistics, rates and trends
145 crimes were recorded in By Brook in the 12 months to August 2026, 27.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 17% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (42), criminal damage and arson (24) and burglary (22) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,818th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | By Brook | Wiltshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 145 | 31,724 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 27.9 | 60.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -17% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 5,189 | 523,700 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in By Brook of any year here (145 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 145 | 27.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 174 | 33.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 195 | 37.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 209 | 40.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 211 | 40.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 163 | 31.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 173 | 33.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 182 | 35.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 169 | 32.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 8 |
| July 2026 | 10 |
| June 2026 | 8 |
| May 2026 | 8 |
| April 2026 | 17 |
| March 2026 | 13 |
| February 2026 | 15 |
| January 2026 | 11 |
| December 2025 | 12 |
| November 2025 | 13 |
| October 2025 | 14 |
| September 2025 | 16 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (76% below) and criminal damage and arson (31% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences fell from 66 to 42 and burglary fell from 26 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 42 | 8.1 | 34.2 | -36% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 24 | 4.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 22 | 4.2 | 3.6 | -15% |
| Other theft | 19 | 3.7 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Anti-social behaviour | 9 | 1.7 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 9 | 1.7 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 1.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 6 | 1.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 3 | 0.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 2 | 0.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than By Brook; the highest is Chippenham Lowden & Rowden (277.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Sherston, Wiltshire (27.5).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs By Brook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chippenham Cepen Park & Derriads | 283 | 52.7 | +89% |
| Chippenham Cepen Park & Hunters Moon | 145 | 36.7 | +31% |
| Chippenham Sheldon | 437 | 62.4 | +123% |
| Chippenham Hardenhuish | 351 | 49.9 | +78% |
| Chippenham Lowden & Rowden | 934 | 277.2 | +892% |
| Kington | 220 | 42.3 | +51% |
| Chippenham Hardens & Central | 214 | 53.9 | +93% |
| Sherston | 131 | 27.5 | -2% |
The 10 locations below account for 57% of the crime recorded in By Brook over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (27).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 27 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 10 |
| On or near The Street | 10 |
| On or near Richards Drive | 8 |
| On or near Alderton Road | 5 |
| On or near Anson Place | 5 |
| On or near Old Coach Road | 5 |
| On or near Stubbs Lane | 5 |
| On or near Grove Lane | 4 |
| On or near Kyneton Way | 4 |
Of the 136 crimes in By Brook with a recorded outcome, 46% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 9 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 62 | 45.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 27 | 19.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 20 | 14.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 8 | 5.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 3.7% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 3.7% | 0.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 2.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
By Brook has an estimated population of 5,189 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (5.0%, against 23.3%), less social housing (6.8%, against 17.1%) and fewer students (4.4%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up By Brook average decile 6.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | By Brook | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 45.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 5.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is By Brook a safe place to live?
By Brook recorded 27.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,818th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in By Brook?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 42 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (24).
Is crime in By Brook going up or down?
Recorded crime in By Brook was down 17% on the year before: 145 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 174 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of By Brook?
About 5,189 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers By Brook?
By Brook is policed by Wiltshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.