Crime in Theale: statistics, rates and trends
241 crimes were recorded in Theale in the 12 months to August 2026, 77.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 18% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (80), anti-social behaviour (40) and shoplifting (27) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,924th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Theale | West Berkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 241 | 10,756 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 77.7 | 65.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -18% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 3,100 | 165,112 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Theale peaked in the year to August 2024 (355 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (230). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 241 | 77.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 294 | 94.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 355 | 114.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 327 | 105.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 270 | 87.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 230 | 74.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 261 | 84.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 332 | 107.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 261 | 84.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 10 |
| July 2026 | 31 |
| June 2026 | 31 |
| May 2026 | 29 |
| April 2026 | 17 |
| March 2026 | 25 |
| February 2026 | 10 |
| January 2026 | 22 |
| December 2025 | 16 |
| November 2025 | 15 |
| October 2025 | 19 |
| September 2025 | 16 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (25% below) was well below it. On the year before, shoplifting fell from 71 to 27 and violence and sexual offences fell from 124 to 80.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 80 | 25.8 | 34.2 | -35% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 40 | 12.9 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 27 | 8.7 | 8.5 | -62% |
| Public order | 24 | 7.7 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 17 | 5.5 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 4.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Other theft | 13 | 4.2 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 9 | 2.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 8 | 2.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Theale; the highest is Burghfield & Mortimer (84.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Basildon, West Berkshire (20.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Theale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tilehurst Birch Copse | 515 | 65.6 | -16% |
| Tilehurst South & Holybrook | 410 | 52.5 | -32% |
| Bradfield | 338 | 44.2 | -43% |
| Tilehurst & Purley | 371 | 33.2 | -57% |
| Pangbourne | 210 | 62.0 | -20% |
| Burghfield & Mortimer | 838 | 84.7 | +9% |
| Aldermaston | 243 | 56.7 | -27% |
| Basildon | 63 | 20.9 | -73% |
The 10 locations below account for 66% of the crime recorded in Theale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (28).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 28 |
| On or near Spring Gardens | 26 |
| On or near Rotherfield Close | 23 |
| On or near The Green | 22 |
| On or near Cumber Place | 16 |
| On or near Play Platt | 13 |
| On or near Parking Area | 12 |
| On or near Hoad Way | 8 |
| On or near Englefield Road | 7 |
| On or near Blossom Avenue | 5 |
Of the 201 crimes in Theale with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 40 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 87 | 43.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 54 | 26.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 27 | 13.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 7.0% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 4.5% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 1.0% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
Theale has an estimated population of 3,100 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%), more social housing (22%, against 17%) and fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Theale average decile 7.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Theale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Theale a safe place to live?
Theale recorded 77.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,924th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Theale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 80 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (40).
Is crime in Theale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Theale was down 18% on the year before: 241 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 294 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Theale?
About 3,100 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Theale?
Theale 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.