Crime in Caversham, Reading: statistics, rates and trends
1,050 crimes were recorded in Caversham, Reading in the 12 months to August 2026, 77.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Caversham, Reading at a glance
- Crime trends in Caversham, Reading
- Types of crime in Caversham, Reading
- Caversham, Reading compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Caversham, Reading
- What happened after crimes were reported in Caversham, Reading
- Demographics of Caversham, Reading
- Questions about crime in Caversham, Reading
- About this data
Crime map
Shoplifting (347), violence and sexual offences (256) and anti-social behaviour (67) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,943rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Caversham, Reading | Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,050 | 20,492 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 77.2 | 112.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 13,604 | 182,907 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Caversham, Reading of any year here (1,050 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 34%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,050 | 77.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 972 | 71.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 980 | 72.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 933 | 68.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 949 | 69.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 844 | 62.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 852 | 62.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 749 | 55.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 785 | 57.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 88 |
| July 2026 | 85 |
| June 2026 | 103 |
| May 2026 | 114 |
| April 2026 | 80 |
| March 2026 | 83 |
| February 2026 | 89 |
| January 2026 | 96 |
| December 2025 | 79 |
| November 2025 | 75 |
| October 2025 | 88 |
| September 2025 | 70 |
Compared with England and Wales, Caversham, Reading recorded notably more shoplifting (3.0 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (78% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (68% below) and violence and sexual offences (45% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 229 to 347 and criminal damage and arson rose from 51 to 65, while anti-social behaviour fell from 94 to 67 and other theft fell from 81 to 63.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 347 | 25.5 | 8.5 | +52% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 256 | 18.8 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 67 | 4.9 | 15.4 | -29% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 65 | 4.8 | 6.7 | +27% |
| Vehicle crime | 64 | 4.7 | 5.0 | -20% |
| Other theft | 63 | 4.6 | 6.4 | -22% |
| Public order | 62 | 4.6 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Burglary | 36 | 2.6 | 3.6 | +3% |
| Other crime | 26 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 20 | 1.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 18 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 18 | 1.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Caversham, Reading; the highest is Abbey, Reading (429.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Caversham Heights (29.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Caversham, Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thames | 1,244 | 150.1 | +94% |
| Emmer Green | 278 | 34.1 | -56% |
| Caversham Heights | 277 | 29.3 | -62% |
| Abbey | 4,504 | 429.2 | +456% |
| Battle | 1,248 | 105.9 | +37% |
| Katesgrove | 1,145 | 89.1 | +15% |
| Park | 1,271 | 104.6 | +35% |
| Coley | 1,398 | 120.4 | +56% |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Caversham, Reading over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Conference/Exhibition Centre” (207).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Conference/Exhibition Centre | 207 |
| On or near Supermarket | 156 |
| On or near Church Street | 36 |
| On or near Charles Evans Way | 24 |
| On or near Rhine Close | 21 |
| On or near Short Street | 21 |
| On or near Mead Close | 20 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 20 |
| On or near The Causeway | 20 |
| On or near Ian Mikardo Way | 18 |
Of the 983 crimes in Caversham, Reading with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 67 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 405 | 41.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 285 | 29.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 111 | 11.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 85 | 8.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 31 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 26 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 1.9% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 4 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Caversham, Reading has an estimated population of 13,604 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (50%, against 34%), fewer residents with no qualifications (12%, against 18%) and fewer students (5.4%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Caversham, Reading average decile 7.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Caversham, Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 50.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Caversham, Reading a safe place to live?
Caversham, Reading recorded 77.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,943rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Caversham, Reading?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 347 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (256).
Is crime in Caversham, Reading going up or down?
Recorded crime in Caversham, Reading was up 8% on the year before: 1,050 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 972 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Caversham, Reading?
About 13,604 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Caversham, Reading?
Caversham, 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.