Crime in Harefield: statistics, rates and trends
1,271 crimes were recorded in Harefield in the 12 months to August 2026, 96.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Harefield at a glance
- Crime trends in Harefield
- Types of crime in Harefield
- Harefield compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Harefield
- What happened after crimes were reported in Harefield
- Demographics of Harefield
- Questions about crime in Harefield
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (547), vehicle crime (105) and public order (96) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,314th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Harefield | Southampton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,271 | 34,688 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 96.8 | 133.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 13,124 | 259,424 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Harefield peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,796 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,219). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,271 | 96.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,219 | 92.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,268 | 96.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,628 | 124.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,796 | 136.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,661 | 126.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,520 | 115.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,505 | 114.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,469 | 111.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 102 |
| July 2026 | 134 |
| June 2026 | 82 |
| May 2026 | 88 |
| April 2026 | 85 |
| March 2026 | 102 |
| February 2026 | 105 |
| January 2026 | 126 |
| December 2025 | 108 |
| November 2025 | 102 |
| October 2025 | 115 |
| September 2025 | 122 |
Compared with England and Wales, Harefield recorded notably more burglary (93% above the national rate), possession of weapons (73% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (61% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (55% below) and drugs (37% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 49 to 90 and other crime rose from 21 to 29, while shoplifting fell from 122 to 87 and possession of weapons fell from 27 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 547 | 41.7 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 105 | 8.0 | 5.0 | +31% |
| Public order | 96 | 7.3 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 92 | 7.0 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 90 | 6.9 | 15.4 | +29% |
| Burglary | 90 | 6.9 | 3.6 | +84% |
| Shoplifting | 87 | 6.6 | 8.5 | -29% |
| Other theft | 58 | 4.4 | 6.4 | +5% |
| Other crime | 29 | 2.2 | 2.1 | +38% |
| Drugs | 27 | 2.1 | 3.3 | +12% |
| Possession of weapons | 22 | 1.7 | 1.0 | -19% |
| Robbery | 17 | 1.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Harefield; the highest is Bevois (162.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Bitterne Park (72.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Harefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitterne Park | 1,114 | 72.7 | -25% |
| Thornhill | 1,955 | 137.0 | +41% |
| Peartree | 1,549 | 110.0 | +14% |
| Sholing | 1,186 | 86.1 | -11% |
| Portswood | 1,748 | 122.7 | +27% |
| Swaythling | 1,372 | 77.3 | -20% |
| Bevois | 2,918 | 162.3 | +68% |
| Woolston | 1,733 | 108.0 | +12% |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Harefield over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Macarthur Crescent” (70).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Macarthur Crescent | 70 |
| On or near Somerset Avenue | 62 |
| On or near Bramble Mews | 52 |
| On or near Wavell Road | 43 |
| On or near Panwell Road | 41 |
| On or near Minstead Avenue | 38 |
| On or near Benhams Farm Close | 32 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 32 |
| On or near Selborne Avenue | 28 |
| On or near Mansfield Park Street | 25 |
Of the 1,181 crimes in Harefield with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 90 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 483 | 40.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 354 | 30.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 126 | 10.7% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 60 | 5.1% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 52 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 48 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 30 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Harefield has an estimated population of 13,124 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%), more social housing (22%, against 17%) and less private renting (14%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Harefield average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Harefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 13.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Harefield a safe place to live?
Harefield recorded 96.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,314th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were burglary and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Harefield?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 547 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (105).
Is crime in Harefield going up or down?
Recorded crime in Harefield was up 4% on the year before: 1,271 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,219 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Harefield?
About 13,124 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Harefield?
Harefield is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.