Crime in Thatcham West: statistics, rates and trends
346 crimes were recorded in Thatcham West in the 12 months to August 2026, 51.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Thatcham West at a glance
- Crime trends in Thatcham West
- Types of crime in Thatcham West
- Thatcham West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Thatcham West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Thatcham West
- Demographics of Thatcham West
- Questions about crime in Thatcham West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (145), anti-social behaviour (74) and criminal damage and arson (28) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,980th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Thatcham West | West Berkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 346 | 10,756 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 51.1 | 65.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -11% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 6,771 | 165,112 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Thatcham West peaked in the year to August 2025 (390 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (232). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 49%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 346 | 51.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 390 | 57.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 333 | 49.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 373 | 55.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 296 | 43.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 297 | 43.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 250 | 36.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 234 | 34.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 232 | 34.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 32 |
| July 2026 | 39 |
| June 2026 | 31 |
| May 2026 | 20 |
| April 2026 | 27 |
| March 2026 | 30 |
| February 2026 | 24 |
| January 2026 | 24 |
| December 2025 | 26 |
| November 2025 | 26 |
| October 2025 | 31 |
| September 2025 | 36 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (52% below) and public order (49% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 20 to 28 and public order rose from 20 to 23, while anti-social behaviour fell from 101 to 74.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 145 | 21.4 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 74 | 10.9 | 15.4 | -27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 28 | 4.1 | 6.7 | +40% |
| Public order | 23 | 3.4 | 6.7 | +15% |
| Other theft | 21 | 3.1 | 6.4 | +5% |
| Other crime | 15 | 2.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 14 | 2.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 12 | 1.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Thatcham West; 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 West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thatcham North East | 408 | 55.4 | +8% |
| Thatcham Central | 901 | 93.2 | +82% |
| Newbury Clay Hill | 796 | 88.4 | +73% |
| Newbury Greenham | 1,110 | 86.2 | +69% |
| Newbury Central | 1,222 | 190.0 | +272% |
| Newbury Speen | 732 | 72.9 | +43% |
| Chieveley & Cold Ash | 319 | 37.2 | -27% |
| Newbury Wash Common | 457 | 47.1 | -8% |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Thatcham West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sports/Recreation Area” (26).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 26 |
| On or near Tull Way | 17 |
| On or near Bourne Road | 13 |
| On or near Kestrel Close | 13 |
| On or near Paynesdown Road | 11 |
| On or near Matthews Close | 10 |
| On or near Bath Road | 9 |
| On or near Henwick Lane | 9 |
| On or near Sowerby Street | 9 |
| On or near Westland | 9 |
Of the 272 crimes in Thatcham West with a recorded outcome, 22% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 74 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 117 | 43.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 60 | 22.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 40 | 14.7% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 7.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 7 | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Thatcham West has an estimated population of 6,771 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (8.8%, against 23.3%), fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (12%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Thatcham West average decile 7.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Thatcham West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Thatcham West a safe place to live?
Thatcham West recorded 51.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,980th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Thatcham West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 145 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (74).
Is crime in Thatcham West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Thatcham West was down 11% on the year before: 346 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 390 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Thatcham West?
About 6,771 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Thatcham West?
Thatcham West 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.