Crime in Central Milton Keynes: statistics, rates and trends
5,860 crimes were recorded in Central Milton Keynes in the 12 months to August 2026, 322.5 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 Central Milton Keynes at a glance
- Crime trends in Central Milton Keynes
- Types of crime in Central Milton Keynes
- Central Milton Keynes compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Central Milton Keynes
- What happened after crimes were reported in Central Milton Keynes
- Demographics of Central Milton Keynes
- Questions about crime in Central Milton Keynes
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,762), shoplifting (1,399) and other theft (464) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 52nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Central Milton Keynes | Milton Keynes | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,860 | 30,686 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 322.5 | 100.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 18,170 | 305,884 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Central Milton Keynes peaked in the year to August 2025 (6,156 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (4,208). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,860 | 322.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 6,156 | 338.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 5,630 | 309.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,834 | 321.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,873 | 323.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,208 | 231.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,323 | 237.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,814 | 264.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,848 | 266.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 551 |
| July 2026 | 518 |
| June 2026 | 553 |
| May 2026 | 462 |
| April 2026 | 479 |
| March 2026 | 543 |
| February 2026 | 423 |
| January 2026 | 480 |
| December 2025 | 446 |
| November 2025 | 492 |
| October 2025 | 485 |
| September 2025 | 428 |
Compared with England and Wales, Central Milton Keynes recorded notably more shoplifting (9.1 times the national rate), bicycle theft (4.5 times the national rate) and other theft (4.0 times the national rate). On the year before, burglary rose from 102 to 135, while bicycle theft fell from 110 to 68 and robbery fell from 105 to 86.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,762 | 97.0 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 1,399 | 77.0 | 8.5 | -8% |
| Other theft | 464 | 25.5 | 6.4 | +13% |
| Public order | 437 | 24.1 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 399 | 22.0 | 15.4 | -13% |
| Vehicle crime | 354 | 19.5 | 5.0 | -4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 332 | 18.3 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Drugs | 232 | 12.8 | 3.3 | -3% |
| Burglary | 135 | 7.4 | 3.6 | +32% |
| Theft from the person | 89 | 4.9 | 1.7 | -13% |
| Robbery | 86 | 4.7 | 1.4 | -18% |
| Bicycle theft | 68 | 3.7 | 0.8 | -38% |
| Other crime | 63 | 3.5 | 2.1 | +11% |
| Possession of weapons | 40 | 2.2 | 1.0 | -11% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Central Milton Keynes has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Central Milton Keynes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell Park & Old Woughton | 1,981 | 116.0 | -64% |
| Woughton & Fishermead | 2,965 | 159.9 | -50% |
| Bradwell | 1,233 | 92.6 | -71% |
| Stantonbury | 1,399 | 86.9 | -73% |
| Loughton & Shenley | 1,322 | 80.0 | -75% |
| Shenley Brook End | 1,051 | 77.2 | -76% |
| Wolverton | 1,865 | 109.6 | -66% |
| Bletchley West | 1,022 | 64.7 | -80% |
The 10 locations below account for 65% of the crime recorded in Central Milton Keynes over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (1,501).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 1,501 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 573 |
| On or near Police Station | 482 |
| On or near Secklow Gate | 431 |
| On or near Supermarket | 183 |
| On or near Witan Gate | 153 |
| On or near Nightclub | 135 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 131 |
| On or near Patriot Drive | 107 |
| On or near Silbury Boulevard | 95 |
Of the 5,461 crimes in Central Milton Keynes with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 399 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,947 | 35.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,561 | 28.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 653 | 12.0% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 447 | 8.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 343 | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 194 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 178 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 60 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 36 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 22 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 19 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Central Milton Keynes has an estimated population of 18,170 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (41%, against 20%), fewer retired residents (10%, against 22%) and a younger population (9.2%, against 18.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Central Milton Keynes average decile 4.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Central Milton Keynes | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 10.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 31.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 35.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 41.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Central Milton Keynes a safe place to live?
Central Milton Keynes recorded 322.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 52nd 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 Central Milton Keynes?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,762 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (1,399).
Is crime in Central Milton Keynes going up or down?
Recorded crime in Central Milton Keynes was down 5% on the year before: 5,860 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 6,156 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Central Milton Keynes?
About 18,170 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.2% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Central Milton Keynes?
Central Milton Keynes 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.