Crime in Saffron: statistics, rates and trends
2,074 crimes were recorded in Saffron in the 12 months to August 2026, 164.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 20% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (751), criminal damage and arson (262) and public order (250) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 340th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Saffron | Leicester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,074 | 47,488 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 164.8 | 122.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -20% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 12,587 | 388,348 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Saffron peaked in the year to August 2025 (2,581 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (1,355). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 35%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,074 | 164.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,581 | 205.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,165 | 172.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,269 | 180.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,823 | 144.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,543 | 122.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,355 | 107.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,694 | 134.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,541 | 122.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 177 |
| July 2026 | 180 |
| June 2026 | 180 |
| May 2026 | 184 |
| April 2026 | 166 |
| March 2026 | 190 |
| February 2026 | 140 |
| January 2026 | 147 |
| December 2025 | 172 |
| November 2025 | 158 |
| October 2025 | 172 |
| September 2025 | 208 |
Compared with England and Wales, Saffron recorded notably more bicycle theft (4.3 times the national rate), drugs (3.9 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (3.1 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (24% below). On the year before, shoplifting fell from 442 to 142 and burglary fell from 65 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 751 | 59.7 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 262 | 20.8 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Public order | 250 | 19.9 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Drugs | 159 | 12.6 | 3.3 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 146 | 11.6 | 15.4 | -10% |
| Shoplifting | 142 | 11.3 | 8.5 | -68% |
| Other theft | 125 | 9.9 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 77 | 6.1 | 5.0 | -9% |
| Bicycle theft | 45 | 3.6 | 0.8 | -10% |
| Burglary | 37 | 2.9 | 3.6 | -43% |
| Other crime | 34 | 2.7 | 2.1 | -17% |
| Possession of weapons | 22 | 1.7 | 1.0 | -15% |
| Theft from the person | 13 | 1.0 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Saffron; the highest is Castle, Leicester (443.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Spinney Hills (49.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Saffron |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aylestone | 1,346 | 103.5 | -37% |
| Knighton | 1,360 | 73.8 | -55% |
| Castle | 11,764 | 443.9 | +169% |
| Westcotes | 2,405 | 134.5 | -18% |
| Eyres Monsell | 1,668 | 132.6 | -20% |
| Stoneygate | 2,443 | 103.8 | -37% |
| Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields | 2,598 | 121.8 | -26% |
| Spinney Hills | 616 | 49.8 | -70% |
The 10 locations below account for 51% of the crime recorded in Saffron over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Euston Street” (422).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Euston Street | 422 |
| On or near Putney Road West | 128 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 110 |
| On or near Mill Lane | 88 |
| On or near Rydal Street | 56 |
| On or near Clifton Road | 53 |
| On or near Heathcott Road | 53 |
| On or near Burnside Road | 52 |
| On or near Pavilion Close | 50 |
| On or near Boulder Lane | 48 |
Of the 1,928 crimes in Saffron with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 11% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 146 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 608 | 31.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 544 | 28.2% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 219 | 11.4% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 208 | 10.8% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 141 | 7.3% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 94 | 4.9% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 42 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 19 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 19 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 18 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Saffron has an estimated population of 12,587 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (30.3%, against 7.9%), more unemployed residents (8.4%, against 3.4%) and more social housing (38%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Saffron average decile 1.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Saffron | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 6.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 46.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 8.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 7.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 30.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 39.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 27.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 38.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 34.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 39.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Saffron a safe place to live?
Saffron recorded 164.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 340th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Saffron?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 751 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (262).
Is crime in Saffron going up or down?
Recorded crime in Saffron was down 20% on the year before: 2,074 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,581 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Saffron?
About 12,587 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 6.3% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Saffron?
Saffron is policed by Leicestershire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.