Crime in Central, Peterborough: statistics, rates and trends
5,495 crimes were recorded in Central, Peterborough in the 12 months to August 2026, 363.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Central, Peterborough at a glance
- Crime trends in Central, Peterborough
- Types of crime in Central, Peterborough
- Central, Peterborough compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Central, Peterborough
- What happened after crimes were reported in Central, Peterborough
- Demographics of Central, Peterborough
- Questions about crime in Central, Peterborough
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,800), anti-social behaviour (940) and shoplifting (642) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 41st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Central, Peterborough | Peterborough | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,495 | 28,159 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 363.0 | 125.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 15,136 | 223,655 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Central, Peterborough peaked in the year to August 2023 (5,817 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (4,242). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,495 | 363.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,313 | 351.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 5,491 | 362.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,817 | 384.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,183 | 342.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,242 | 280.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,268 | 282.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 5,057 | 334.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 5,679 | 375.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 582 |
| July 2026 | 517 |
| June 2026 | 437 |
| May 2026 | 496 |
| April 2026 | 445 |
| March 2026 | 446 |
| February 2026 | 427 |
| January 2026 | 460 |
| December 2025 | 435 |
| November 2025 | 387 |
| October 2025 | 439 |
| September 2025 | 424 |
Compared with England and Wales, Central, Peterborough recorded notably more bicycle theft (9.2 times the national rate), possession of weapons (7.8 times the national rate) and drugs (5.1 times the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 441 to 642 and drugs rose from 186 to 255, while vehicle crime fell from 252 to 161.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,800 | 118.9 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 940 | 62.1 | 15.4 | +10% |
| Shoplifting | 642 | 42.4 | 8.5 | +46% |
| Public order | 435 | 28.7 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 314 | 20.7 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Other theft | 276 | 18.2 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Drugs | 255 | 16.8 | 3.3 | +37% |
| Vehicle crime | 161 | 10.6 | 5.0 | -36% |
| Burglary | 143 | 9.4 | 3.6 | +36% |
| Bicycle theft | 115 | 7.6 | 0.8 | +6% |
| Possession of weapons | 115 | 7.6 | 1.0 | -4% |
| Other crime | 113 | 7.5 | 2.1 | -10% |
| Robbery | 95 | 6.3 | 1.4 | -2% |
| Theft from the person | 91 | 6.0 | 1.7 | -12% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Central, Peterborough has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Central, Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | 1,381 | 116.3 | -68% |
| Ravensthorpe | 2,260 | 186.1 | -49% |
| North | 1,531 | 137.4 | -62% |
| East | 2,340 | 166.9 | -54% |
| Fletton and Woodston | 1,112 | 106.2 | -71% |
| Fletton and Stanground | 1,082 | 98.5 | -73% |
| West | 676 | 105.4 | -71% |
| Dogsthorpe | 1,068 | 94.4 | -74% |
The 10 locations below account for 56% of the crime recorded in Central, Peterborough over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (1,085).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 1,085 |
| On or near Parking Area | 471 |
| On or near Supermarket | 303 |
| On or near Dean'S Court | 250 |
| On or near Guildhall Walk | 247 |
| On or near Cowgate | 237 |
| On or near Wentworth Street | 150 |
| On or near Rivergate | 129 |
| On or near Bourges Boulevard | 108 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 96 |
Of the 4,555 crimes in Central, Peterborough with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 940 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,659 | 36.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,452 | 31.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 457 | 10.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 431 | 9.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 179 | 3.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 148 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 131 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 58 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 27 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
Central, Peterborough has an estimated population of 15,136 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (50%, against 20%), more households without a car (42%, against 23%) and more residents with no qualifications (30%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Central, Peterborough average decile 2.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Central, Peterborough | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 8.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 10.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 29.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 41.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 37.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 50.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 39.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Central, Peterborough a safe place to live?
Central, Peterborough recorded 363.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 41st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Central, Peterborough?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,800 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (940).
Is crime in Central, Peterborough going up or down?
Recorded crime in Central, Peterborough was up 3% on the year before: 5,495 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,313 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Central, Peterborough?
About 15,136 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 8.4% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Central, Peterborough?
Central, Peterborough is policed by Cambridgeshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.