Crime in Thatcham Central: statistics, rates and trends
901 crimes were recorded in Thatcham Central in the 12 months to August 2026, 93.2 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 Thatcham Central at a glance
- Crime trends in Thatcham Central
- Types of crime in Thatcham Central
- Thatcham Central compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Thatcham Central
- What happened after crimes were reported in Thatcham Central
- Demographics of Thatcham Central
- Questions about crime in Thatcham Central
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (447), shoplifting (123) and anti-social behaviour (95) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,407th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Thatcham Central | West Berkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 901 | 10,756 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 93.2 | 65.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 9,670 | 165,112 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Thatcham Central peaked in the year to August 2025 (980 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (608). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 48%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 901 | 93.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 980 | 101.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 909 | 94.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 895 | 92.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 963 | 99.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 834 | 86.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 853 | 88.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 706 | 73.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 608 | 62.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 73 |
| July 2026 | 92 |
| June 2026 | 79 |
| May 2026 | 50 |
| April 2026 | 80 |
| March 2026 | 86 |
| February 2026 | 71 |
| January 2026 | 76 |
| December 2025 | 66 |
| November 2025 | 62 |
| October 2025 | 82 |
| September 2025 | 84 |
Compared with England and Wales, Thatcham Central recorded notably more shoplifting (50% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (35% above the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (40% below) and anti-social behaviour (36% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 28 to 34, while public order fell from 84 to 55 and anti-social behaviour fell from 117 to 95.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 447 | 46.2 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 123 | 12.7 | 8.5 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 95 | 9.8 | 15.4 | -19% |
| Public order | 55 | 5.7 | 6.7 | -35% |
| Other theft | 40 | 4.1 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 39 | 4.0 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Drugs | 34 | 3.5 | 3.3 | +21% |
| Burglary | 17 | 1.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 13 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 1.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 12 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.0 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Thatcham Central; the highest is Newbury Central (190.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Chieveley & Cold Ash (37.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Thatcham Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thatcham North East | 408 | 55.4 | -41% |
| Thatcham West | 346 | 51.1 | -45% |
| Newbury Clay Hill | 796 | 88.4 | -5% |
| Newbury Greenham | 1,110 | 86.2 | -7% |
| Newbury Central | 1,222 | 190.0 | +104% |
| Chieveley & Cold Ash | 319 | 37.2 | -60% |
| Newbury Speen | 732 | 72.9 | -22% |
| Newbury Wash Common | 457 | 47.1 | -49% |
The 10 locations below account for 56% of the crime recorded in Thatcham Central over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (198).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 198 |
| On or near Supermarket | 117 |
| On or near Broadway | 45 |
| On or near Stoney Lane | 33 |
| On or near Station Road | 26 |
| On or near Rudland Close | 24 |
| On or near Artillery Drive | 15 |
| On or near Elms Avenue | 15 |
| On or near Holywell Court | 14 |
| On or near Neville Drive | 14 |
Of the 806 crimes in Thatcham Central with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 95 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 244 | 30.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 189 | 23.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 132 | 16.4% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 69 | 8.6% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 49 | 6.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 48 | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 39 | 4.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
Thatcham Central has an estimated population of 9,670 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Thatcham Central average decile 7.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Thatcham Central | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Thatcham Central a safe place to live?
Thatcham Central recorded 93.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,407th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Thatcham Central?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 447 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (123).
Is crime in Thatcham Central going up or down?
Recorded crime in Thatcham Central was down 8% on the year before: 901 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 980 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Thatcham Central?
About 9,670 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Thatcham Central?
Thatcham Central 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.