Crime in Thames, Reading: statistics, rates and trends
1,244 crimes were recorded in Thames, Reading in the 12 months to August 2026, 150.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Thames, Reading at a glance
- Crime trends in Thames, Reading
- Types of crime in Thames, Reading
- Thames, Reading compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Thames, Reading
- What happened after crimes were reported in Thames, Reading
- Demographics of Thames, Reading
- Questions about crime in Thames, Reading
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (431), other theft (156) and anti-social behaviour (150) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 436th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Thames, Reading | Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,244 | 20,492 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 150.1 | 112.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 8,288 | 182,907 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Thames, Reading peaked in the year to August 2023 (1,323 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (839). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 1%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,244 | 150.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,129 | 136.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,117 | 134.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,323 | 159.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,285 | 155.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 996 | 120.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 839 | 101.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,005 | 121.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,259 | 151.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 166 |
| July 2026 | 99 |
| June 2026 | 113 |
| May 2026 | 118 |
| April 2026 | 102 |
| March 2026 | 82 |
| February 2026 | 83 |
| January 2026 | 81 |
| December 2025 | 96 |
| November 2025 | 90 |
| October 2025 | 104 |
| September 2025 | 110 |
Compared with England and Wales, Thames, Reading recorded notably more bicycle theft (6.3 times the national rate), other theft (2.9 times the national rate) and robbery (2.2 times the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 33 to 62 and other theft rose from 121 to 156, while bicycle theft fell from 53 to 43.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 431 | 52.0 | 34.2 | +11% |
| Other theft | 156 | 18.8 | 6.4 | +29% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 150 | 18.1 | 15.4 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 90 | 10.9 | 5.0 | +25% |
| Public order | 88 | 10.6 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 83 | 10.0 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 62 | 7.5 | 8.5 | +88% |
| Burglary | 45 | 5.4 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Bicycle theft | 43 | 5.2 | 0.8 | -19% |
| Drugs | 35 | 4.2 | 3.3 | +13% |
| Robbery | 25 | 3.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 19 | 2.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Thames, Reading; the highest is Abbey, Reading (429.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Caversham Heights (29.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Thames, Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey | 4,504 | 429.2 | +186% |
| Caversham | 1,050 | 77.2 | -49% |
| Katesgrove | 1,145 | 89.1 | -41% |
| Redlands | 1,378 | 86.2 | -43% |
| Park | 1,271 | 104.6 | -30% |
| Coley | 1,398 | 120.4 | -20% |
| Battle | 1,248 | 105.9 | -29% |
| Caversham Heights | 277 | 29.3 | -80% |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Thames, Reading over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Kenavon Drive” (116).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Kenavon Drive | 116 |
| On or near Supermarket | 95 |
| On or near Richfield Avenue | 86 |
| On or near Thames Avenue | 55 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 48 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 46 |
| On or near Anglers Way | 35 |
| On or near Kennet Street | 35 |
| On or near Oscar Wilde Road | 33 |
| On or near Avon Place | 32 |
Of the 1,094 crimes in Thames, Reading with a recorded outcome, 44% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 150 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 485 | 44.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 285 | 26.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 183 | 16.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 46 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 33 | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 21 | 1.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Thames, Reading has an estimated population of 8,288 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (47%, against 20%), more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (58%, against 34%) and fewer retired residents (8.1%, against 21.6%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Thames, Reading average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Thames, Reading | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 7.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 72.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 8.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 58.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 10.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 36.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 36.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 47.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Thames, Reading a safe place to live?
Thames, Reading recorded 150.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 436th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and other theft.
What is the most common crime in Thames, Reading?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 431 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by other theft (156).
Is crime in Thames, Reading going up or down?
Recorded crime in Thames, Reading was up 10% on the year before: 1,244 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,129 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Thames, Reading?
About 8,288 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 7.5% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Thames, Reading?
Thames, Reading 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.