Crime in Coley: statistics, rates and trends
1,398 crimes were recorded in Coley in the 12 months to August 2026, 120.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 30% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (460), shoplifting (261) and anti-social behaviour (178) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 818th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Coley | Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,398 | 20,492 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 120.4 | 112.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +30% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 11,609 | 182,907 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Coley of any year here (1,398 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 | 1,398 | 120.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,076 | 92.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,181 | 101.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,246 | 107.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,228 | 105.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,333 | 114.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,098 | 94.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 977 | 84.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,044 | 89.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 142 |
| July 2026 | 149 |
| June 2026 | 112 |
| May 2026 | 159 |
| April 2026 | 136 |
| March 2026 | 146 |
| February 2026 | 125 |
| January 2026 | 95 |
| December 2025 | 80 |
| November 2025 | 62 |
| October 2025 | 102 |
| September 2025 | 90 |
Compared with England and Wales, Coley recorded notably more shoplifting (2.7 times the national rate), bicycle theft (2.2 times the national rate) and other theft (59% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (24% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 84 to 261 and other theft rose from 79 to 119.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 460 | 39.6 | 34.2 | +13% |
| Shoplifting | 261 | 22.5 | 8.5 | +211% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 178 | 15.3 | 15.4 | +32% |
| Other theft | 119 | 10.3 | 6.4 | +51% |
| Public order | 78 | 6.7 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Vehicle crime | 75 | 6.5 | 5.0 | +9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 73 | 6.3 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Burglary | 36 | 3.1 | 3.6 | -14% |
| Drugs | 29 | 2.5 | 3.3 | -3% |
| Other crime | 26 | 2.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 21 | 1.8 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 17 | 1.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 15 | 1.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Coley; the highest is Abbey, Reading (429.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Norcot (84.9).
The 10 locations below account for 54% of the crime recorded in Coley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (311).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 311 |
| On or near North Lodge Mews | 95 |
| On or near Carsdale Close | 70 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 60 |
| On or near Ormsby Street | 39 |
| On or near Admirals Court | 38 |
| On or near Laud Close | 36 |
| On or near Parking Area | 35 |
| On or near Froxfield Avenue | 34 |
| On or near Haden Square | 33 |
Of the 1,220 crimes in Coley with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 178 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 442 | 36.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 344 | 28.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 185 | 15.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 119 | 9.8% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 62 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 26 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 13 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Coley has an estimated population of 11,609 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (35%, against 20%), fewer retired residents (12%, against 22%) and a younger population (11%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Coley average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Coley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 11.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 43.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 32.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 43.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 35.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Coley a safe place to live?
Coley recorded 120.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 818th 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 Coley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 460 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (261).
Is crime in Coley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Coley was up 30% on the year before: 1,398 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,076 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Coley?
About 11,609 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Coley?
Coley 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.