Crime in Church, Reading: statistics, rates and trends
964 crimes were recorded in Church, Reading in the 12 months to July 2026, 93.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 35% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Church, Reading at a glance
- Crime trends in Church, Reading
- Types of crime in Church, Reading
- Church, Reading compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Church, Reading
- What happened after crimes were reported in Church, Reading
- Population and deprivation in Church, Reading
- Questions about crime in Church, Reading
- About this data
964 crimes were recorded in Church, Reading in the 12 months to July 2026, 93.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 35% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 444 reports (46% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Church, Reading has the 1,412th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Church, Reading | Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 964 | 20,512 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 93.0 | 112.1 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -35% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 10,362 | 182,907 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Church, Reading was highest in the year to July 2023 (1,920 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2026 (964). Over the whole period it fell 30%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 964 | 93.0 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,489 | 143.7 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,308 | 126.2 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,920 | 185.3 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,749 | 168.8 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,595 | 153.9 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,471 | 142.0 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 1,410 | 136.1 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 1,386 | 133.8 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 74 |
| June 2026 | 100 |
| May 2026 | 93 |
| April 2026 | 87 |
| March 2026 | 77 |
| February 2026 | 60 |
| January 2026 | 49 |
| December 2025 | 72 |
| November 2025 | 83 |
| October 2025 | 78 |
| September 2025 | 97 |
| August 2025 | 94 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Church, Reading over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for violence and sexual offences.
The largest increases were in drugs (+37%). The largest falls were in shoplifting (-82%) and bicycle theft (-59%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 444 | 42.8 | 1.25 | -6% |
| Shoplifting | 82 | 7.9 | 0.96 | -82% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 70 | 6.8 | 1.00 | -17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 65 | 6.3 | 0.41 | -24% |
| Public order | 64 | 6.2 | 0.93 | -25% |
| Other theft | 62 | 6.0 | 0.94 | -23% |
| Vehicle crime | 42 | 4.1 | 0.82 | -34% |
| Drugs | 41 | 4.0 | 1.21 | +37% |
| Burglary | 35 | 3.4 | 0.96 | -10% |
| Other crime | 20 | 1.9 | 0.91 | -31% |
| Robbery | 15 | 1.4 | 1.07 | -6% |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 1.1 | 1.09 | +38% |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.9 | 1.06 | -59% |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.4 | 0.23 | -56% |
Violence and sexual offences in Church, Reading
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Church, Reading recorded 444 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (42.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 46.1% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Church, Reading
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Church, Reading recorded 82 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.9 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 82% on the year before. It made up 8.5% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Church, Reading
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Church, Reading recorded 70 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 17% on the year before. It made up 7.3% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Church, Reading
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Church, Reading recorded 65 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 24% on the year before. It made up 6.7% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Church, Reading
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Church, Reading recorded 64 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.2 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 25% on the year before. It made up 6.6% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Church, Reading
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Church, Reading recorded 62 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.0 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 6.4% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Church, Reading
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Church, Reading recorded 42 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 34% on the year before. It made up 4.4% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Church, Reading
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Church, Reading recorded 41 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 37% on the year before. It made up 4.3% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Church, Reading
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Church, Reading recorded 35 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 10% on the year before. It made up 3.6% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Church, Reading
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Church, Reading recorded 20 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.9 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 31% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Church, Reading
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Church, Reading recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 1.6% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Church, Reading
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Church, Reading recorded 11 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 38% on the year before. It made up 1.1% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Church, Reading
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Church, Reading recorded 9 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 59% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Church, Reading
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Church, Reading recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 56% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Church, Reading, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Church, Reading.
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Church, Reading over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 107 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 60 |
| On or near Carousel Court | 44 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 35 |
| On or near Salcombe Road | 26 |
| On or near Tavistock Road | 26 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 23 |
| On or near B3031 | 20 |
| On or near Chudleigh Gardens | 19 |
| On or near Exwick Square | 19 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Church, Reading over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 339 | 35.2% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 294 | 30.5% |
| Under investigation | 120 | 12.4% |
| Not recorded | 65 | 6.7% |
| Status update unavailable | 49 | 5.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 29 | 3.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 21 | 2.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 19 | 2.0% |
| Local resolution | 18 | 1.9% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.6% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.2% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.1% |
Church, Reading has an estimated population of 10,362. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Church, Reading sits in decile 3.0, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Church, Reading |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.6% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 65.2% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.2% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 43.0% |
| Social rented homes | 41.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.7% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.0 |
Is Church, Reading a safe place to live?
Church, Reading recorded 93.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Church, Reading?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 444 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by shoplifting (82).
Is crime in Church, Reading going up or down?
Recorded crime in Church, Reading was down 35% on the year before: 964 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,489 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Church, Reading?
Church, Reading is policed by Thames Valley. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Church, Reading. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.