Crime in Norcot: statistics, rates and trends
1,016 crimes were recorded in Norcot in the 12 months to August 2026, 84.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (424), anti-social behaviour (113) and other theft (93) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,672nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Norcot | Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,016 | 20,492 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.9 | 112.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 11,965 | 182,907 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Norcot of any year here (1,016 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,016 | 84.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,053 | 88.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,048 | 87.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,097 | 91.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,462 | 122.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,588 | 132.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,130 | 94.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,044 | 87.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,130 | 94.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 115 |
| July 2026 | 102 |
| June 2026 | 81 |
| May 2026 | 79 |
| April 2026 | 87 |
| March 2026 | 78 |
| February 2026 | 72 |
| January 2026 | 82 |
| December 2025 | 72 |
| November 2025 | 85 |
| October 2025 | 90 |
| September 2025 | 73 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (59% below) and anti-social behaviour (39% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 67 to 92 and public order rose from 64 to 83, while vehicle crime fell from 70 to 43 and drugs fell from 57 to 36.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 424 | 35.4 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 113 | 9.4 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Other theft | 93 | 7.8 | 6.4 | +21% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 92 | 7.7 | 6.7 | +37% |
| Public order | 83 | 6.9 | 6.7 | +30% |
| Vehicle crime | 43 | 3.6 | 5.0 | -39% |
| Shoplifting | 41 | 3.4 | 8.5 | -11% |
| Drugs | 36 | 3.0 | 3.3 | -37% |
| Burglary | 29 | 2.4 | 3.6 | -9% |
| Other crime | 27 | 2.3 | 2.1 | +23% |
| Robbery | 12 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Norcot; the highest is Abbey, Reading (429.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Caversham Heights (29.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Norcot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle | 1,248 | 105.9 | +25% |
| Southcote | 1,532 | 126.1 | +48% |
| Kentwood | 792 | 76.1 | -10% |
| Tilehurst | 847 | 85.1 | 0% |
| Coley | 1,398 | 120.4 | +42% |
| Abbey | 4,504 | 429.2 | +405% |
| Caversham Heights | 277 | 29.3 | -65% |
| Katesgrove | 1,145 | 89.1 | +5% |
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in Norcot over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (66).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 66 |
| On or near Supermarket | 36 |
| On or near Wye Close | 34 |
| On or near St George'S Terrace | 33 |
| On or near Craig Avenue | 32 |
| On or near Eddleston Way | 30 |
| On or near Parking Area | 30 |
| On or near Tweed Court | 28 |
| On or near Shilling Close | 27 |
| On or near Stoneham Close | 27 |
Of the 903 crimes in Norcot with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 113 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 324 | 35.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 307 | 34.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 133 | 14.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 47 | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 24 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 15 | 1.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 10 | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Norcot has an estimated population of 11,965 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (23%, against 17%), fewer retired residents (15%, against 22%) and a younger population (13%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Norcot average decile 4.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Norcot | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 52.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Norcot a safe place to live?
Norcot recorded 84.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,672nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Norcot?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 424 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (113).
Is crime in Norcot going up or down?
Recorded crime in Norcot was down 4% on the year before: 1,016 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,053 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Norcot?
About 11,965 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Norcot?
Norcot 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.