Crime in Newbury Central: statistics, rates and trends
1,222 crimes were recorded in Newbury Central in the 12 months to August 2026, 190.0 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 Newbury Central at a glance
- Crime trends in Newbury Central
- Types of crime in Newbury Central
- Newbury Central compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Newbury Central
- What happened after crimes were reported in Newbury Central
- Demographics of Newbury Central
- Questions about crime in Newbury Central
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (385), shoplifting (208) and anti-social behaviour (152) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 228th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Newbury Central | West Berkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,222 | 10,756 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 190.0 | 65.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 6,433 | 165,112 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Newbury Central peaked in the year to August 2023 (1,373 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (858). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,222 | 190.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,283 | 199.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,188 | 184.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,373 | 213.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,325 | 206.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 858 | 133.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 997 | 155.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,192 | 185.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,094 | 170.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 132 |
| July 2026 | 117 |
| June 2026 | 91 |
| May 2026 | 113 |
| April 2026 | 95 |
| March 2026 | 94 |
| February 2026 | 78 |
| January 2026 | 93 |
| December 2025 | 115 |
| November 2025 | 103 |
| October 2025 | 98 |
| September 2025 | 93 |
Compared with England and Wales, Newbury Central recorded notably more bicycle theft (4.5 times the national rate), shoplifting (3.8 times the national rate) and public order (2.8 times the national rate). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 25 to 41 and burglary rose from 26 to 35, while bicycle theft fell from 45 to 24 and violence and sexual offences fell from 468 to 385.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 385 | 59.8 | 34.2 | -18% |
| Shoplifting | 208 | 32.3 | 8.5 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 152 | 23.6 | 15.4 | +6% |
| Public order | 121 | 18.8 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 95 | 14.8 | 6.7 | +17% |
| Other theft | 62 | 9.6 | 6.4 | +3% |
| Drugs | 59 | 9.2 | 3.3 | +20% |
| Vehicle crime | 41 | 6.4 | 5.0 | +64% |
| Burglary | 35 | 5.4 | 3.6 | +35% |
| Bicycle theft | 24 | 3.7 | 0.8 | -47% |
| Other crime | 18 | 2.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 15 | 2.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.8 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Newbury Central has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Newbury Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newbury Greenham | 1,110 | 86.2 | -55% |
| Newbury Speen | 732 | 72.9 | -62% |
| Newbury Wash Common | 457 | 47.1 | -75% |
| Newbury Clay Hill | 796 | 88.4 | -53% |
| Thatcham West | 346 | 51.1 | -73% |
| Thatcham Central | 901 | 93.2 | -51% |
| Thatcham North East | 408 | 55.4 | -71% |
| Chieveley & Cold Ash | 319 | 37.2 | -80% |
The 10 locations below account for 59% of the crime recorded in Newbury Central over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (208).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 208 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 103 |
| On or near Northbrook Street | 96 |
| On or near Mansion House Street | 53 |
| On or near Albert Road | 50 |
| On or near Market Place | 47 |
| On or near Supermarket | 47 |
| On or near Pound Street | 41 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 37 |
| On or near Nightclub | 36 |
Of the 1,070 crimes in Newbury Central with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 152 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 385 | 36.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 301 | 28.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 139 | 13.0% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 90 | 8.4% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 57 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 37 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 35 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 6 | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 2 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Newbury Central has an estimated population of 6,433 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (3.6%, against 7.9%), more private renting (31%, against 20%) and more social housing (22%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Newbury Central average decile 6.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Newbury Central | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 41.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 30.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 46.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Newbury Central a safe place to live?
Newbury Central recorded 190.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 228th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Newbury Central?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 385 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (208).
Is crime in Newbury Central going up or down?
Recorded crime in Newbury Central was down 5% on the year before: 1,222 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,283 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Newbury Central?
About 6,433 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Newbury Central?
Newbury Central 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.