Crime in Shelford: statistics, rates and trends
269 crimes were recorded in Shelford in the 12 months to August 2026, 34.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (86), anti-social behaviour (73) and criminal damage and arson (23) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,655th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Shelford | South Cambridgeshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 269 | 10,190 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 34.2 | 59.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | +11% | -1% |
| Population | 7,857 | 172,544 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Shelford peaked in the year to August 2019 (407 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (260). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 32%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 269 | 34.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 309 | 39.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 311 | 39.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 260 | 33.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 322 | 41.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 268 | 34.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 343 | 43.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 407 | 51.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 394 | 50.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 26 |
| July 2026 | 21 |
| June 2026 | 13 |
| May 2026 | 12 |
| April 2026 | 20 |
| March 2026 | 23 |
| February 2026 | 22 |
| January 2026 | 21 |
| December 2025 | 28 |
| November 2025 | 29 |
| October 2025 | 23 |
| September 2025 | 31 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (68% below) and criminal damage and arson (57% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 73 to 86, while criminal damage and arson fell from 33 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 86 | 10.9 | 34.2 | +18% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 73 | 9.3 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 23 | 2.9 | 6.7 | -30% |
| Other theft | 19 | 2.4 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Burglary | 18 | 2.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 14 | 1.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 11 | 1.4 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 7 | 0.9 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 2 | 0.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than Shelford.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shelford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawston | 312 | 41.6 | +22% |
| Harston & Comberton | 517 | 46.6 | +36% |
| Duxford | 232 | 49.7 | +45% |
| Fen Ditton & Fulbourn | 1,071 | 94.0 | +175% |
| Barrington | 180 | 43.9 | +28% |
| Girton | 169 | 35.2 | +3% |
| Histon & Impington | 934 | 79.2 | +131% |
| Melbourn | 568 | 54.6 | +60% |
The 10 locations below account for 54% of the crime recorded in Shelford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (54).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 54 |
| On or near De Freville Road | 17 |
| On or near Hauxton Road | 12 |
| On or near Macaulay Avenue | 12 |
| On or near Cambridge Road | 11 |
| On or near Chalk Hill | 10 |
| On or near Davey Crescent | 9 |
| On or near Gog Magog Way | 9 |
| On or near Cherry Trees | 6 |
| On or near Red Hill Close | 6 |
Of the 196 crimes in Shelford with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales. The 73 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 82 | 41.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 71 | 36.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 22 | 11.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
Shelford has an estimated population of 7,857 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (60%, against 34%), fewer residents with no qualifications (9.3%, against 18.2%) and fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shelford average decile 9.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Shelford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 59.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 9.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Shelford a safe place to live?
Shelford recorded 34.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,655th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Shelford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 86 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (73).
Is crime in Shelford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shelford was down 13% on the year before: 269 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 309 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shelford?
About 7,857 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shelford?
Shelford is policed by Cambridgeshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.