Crime in Old Town, Swindon: statistics, rates and trends
984 crimes were recorded in Old Town, Swindon 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 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Old Town, Swindon at a glance
- Crime trends in Old Town, Swindon
- Types of crime in Old Town, Swindon
- Old Town, Swindon compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Old Town, Swindon
- What happened after crimes were reported in Old Town, Swindon
- Demographics of Old Town, Swindon
- Questions about crime in Old Town, Swindon
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (440), anti-social behaviour (169) and criminal damage and arson (74) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,677th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Old Town, Swindon | Swindon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 984 | 19,935 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.9 | 81.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 11,595 | 243,875 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Old Town, Swindon peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,161 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (885). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 984 | 84.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,067 | 92.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,013 | 87.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,019 | 87.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,128 | 97.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 885 | 76.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 979 | 84.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,134 | 97.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,161 | 100.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 88 |
| July 2026 | 100 |
| June 2026 | 74 |
| May 2026 | 79 |
| April 2026 | 78 |
| March 2026 | 75 |
| February 2026 | 66 |
| January 2026 | 76 |
| December 2025 | 83 |
| November 2025 | 87 |
| October 2025 | 94 |
| September 2025 | 84 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (46% below) and vehicle crime (44% below) were well below it. On the year before, burglary rose from 24 to 33 and vehicle crime rose from 24 to 32, while shoplifting fell from 97 to 60 and drugs fell from 31 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 440 | 37.9 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 169 | 14.6 | 15.4 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 74 | 6.4 | 6.7 | +21% |
| Public order | 70 | 6.0 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Shoplifting | 60 | 5.2 | 8.5 | -38% |
| Other theft | 40 | 3.4 | 6.4 | +21% |
| Burglary | 33 | 2.8 | 3.6 | +38% |
| Vehicle crime | 32 | 2.8 | 5.0 | +33% |
| Drugs | 26 | 2.2 | 3.3 | -16% |
| Other crime | 12 | 1.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Old Town, Swindon; the highest is Central, Swindon (212.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Chiseldon and Lawn (43.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Old Town, Swindon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastcott | 1,687 | 141.6 | +67% |
| Central | 3,698 | 212.5 | +150% |
| Walcot and Park North | 1,336 | 110.0 | +30% |
| Mannington and Western | 1,124 | 89.5 | +6% |
| Wroughton and Wichelstowe | 510 | 53.2 | -37% |
| Chiseldon and Lawn | 379 | 43.4 | -49% |
| Liden, Eldene and Park South | 1,181 | 84.4 | -1% |
| Gorse Hill and Pinehurst | 1,050 | 81.2 | -4% |
The 10 locations below account for 48% of the crime recorded in Old Town, Swindon over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “High Street” (113).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near High Street | 113 |
| On or near Wood Street | 99 |
| On or near B4006 | 67 |
| On or near Bradford Road | 42 |
| On or near Curie Avenue | 32 |
| On or near Brock End | 31 |
| On or near A4289 | 27 |
| On or near The Oaks | 23 |
| On or near Pasteur Drive | 20 |
| On or near Bacon Close | 19 |
Of the 815 crimes in Old Town, Swindon with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 169 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 255 | 31.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 245 | 30.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 130 | 16.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 60 | 7.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 41 | 5.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 27 | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 2.5% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 15 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Old Town, Swindon has an estimated population of 11,595 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (8.2%, against 17.1%), fewer residents with no qualifications (11%, against 18%) and fewer students (5.4%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Old Town, Swindon average decile 7.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Old Town, Swindon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 43.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 10.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 23.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Old Town, Swindon a safe place to live?
Old Town, Swindon 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 1,677th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Old Town, Swindon?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 440 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (169).
Is crime in Old Town, Swindon going up or down?
Recorded crime in Old Town, Swindon was down 8% on the year before: 984 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,067 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Old Town, Swindon?
About 11,595 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Old Town, Swindon?
Old Town, Swindon is policed by Wiltshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.