Crime in the Norfolk Police area: statistics, rates and trends
66,675 crimes were recorded in the Norfolk Police area in the 12 months to August 2026, 70.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in the Norfolk Police area at a glance
- Crime trends in the Norfolk Police area
- Types of crime in the Norfolk Police area
- Home Office recorded crime in the Norfolk Police area
- The Norfolk Police area compared with nearby police force areas
- Areas within the Norfolk Police area
- What happened after crimes were reported in the Norfolk Police area
- Demographics of the Norfolk Police area
- Questions about crime in the Norfolk Police area
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (28,098), anti-social behaviour (9,198) and criminal damage and arson (5,962) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 38th of the 41 police force areas covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | the Norfolk Police area | England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 66,675 | 5,311,106 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 70.9 | 96.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 940,359 | 54,941,057 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in the Norfolk Police area peaked in the year to August 2022 (78,454 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (66,648). 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 | 66,675 | 70.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 66,803 | 71.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 66,648 | 70.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 71,164 | 75.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 78,454 | 83.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 73,946 | 78.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 74,676 | 79.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 73,342 | 78.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 72,290 | 76.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 6,172 |
| July 2026 | 6,506 |
| June 2026 | 6,091 |
| May 2026 | 5,861 |
| April 2026 | 5,428 |
| March 2026 | 5,657 |
| February 2026 | 4,750 |
| January 2026 | 4,830 |
| December 2025 | 5,071 |
| November 2025 | 5,178 |
| October 2025 | 5,610 |
| September 2025 | 5,521 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and theft from the person (78% below) and robbery (69% below) were well below it.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 28,098 | 29.9 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 9,198 | 9.8 | 15.4 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 5,962 | 6.3 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 5,673 | 6.0 | 8.5 | -5% |
| Public order | 4,506 | 4.8 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Other theft | 4,059 | 4.3 | 6.4 | +2% |
| Other crime | 1,854 | 2.0 | 2.1 | -7% |
| Drugs | 1,843 | 2.0 | 3.3 | +8% |
| Burglary | 1,717 | 1.8 | 3.6 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 1,480 | 1.6 | 5.0 | -8% |
| Possession of weapons | 837 | 0.9 | 1.0 | +8% |
| Bicycle theft | 706 | 0.8 | 0.8 | -7% |
| Robbery | 395 | 0.4 | 1.4 | -6% |
| Theft from the person | 347 | 0.4 | 1.7 | -10% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
57,814 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in the Norfolk Police area in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 61.5 per 1,000 residents, lower than the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was down 3% on the year ending March 2025 (59,547), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 43 territorial police force areas of England and Wales, the Norfolk Police area had the 7th lowest rate (the street-level ranking above is among the 41 force areas with street-level pages on this site, over the 12 months to August 2026).
Offences recorded in the Norfolk Police area, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was violence without injury, with 11,110 offences (19% of the total). No category with at least 20 offences had a rate a quarter or more above the England and Wales rate. Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.23 times), robbery of business property (0.27 times) and vehicle offences (0.32 times).
The largest falls were in arson (−31%) and non-residential burglary (−17%). Robbery of business property and shoplifting are not compared with the year ending March 2025: from April 2025 the Home Office Counting Rules were clarified so that a theft from a shop in which violence is used or threatened against staff or anyone else is recorded as robbery of business property rather than shoplifting (ONS).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence without injury | 11,110 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 0.89 | +1% |
| Violence with injury | 7,752 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 1.01 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 5,746 | 6.1 | 8.1 | 0.75 | – |
| Stalking and harassment | 5,715 | 6.1 | 10.1 | 0.60 | +2% |
| Criminal damage | 5,672 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 0.88 | −7% |
| Public order offences | 4,620 | 4.9 | 7.0 | 0.71 | −4% |
| Other theft offences | 4,014 | 4.3 | 6.5 | 0.65 | −6% |
| Other sexual offences | 2,183 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 1.02 | +3% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 1,809 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 0.92 | −3% |
| Possession of drugs | 1,549 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 0.66 | −8% |
| Vehicle offences | 1,497 | 1.6 | 5.0 | 0.32 | −10% |
| Residential burglary | 1,193 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 0.51 | −7% |
| Rape | 1,172 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.03 | +8% |
| Possession of weapons | 822 | 0.87 | 1.00 | 0.88 | +2% |
| Bicycle theft | 770 | 0.82 | 0.85 | 0.96 | −3% |
| Non-residential burglary | 650 | 0.69 | 1.1 | 0.62 | −17% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 463 | 0.49 | 1.2 | 0.42 | +2% |
| Theft from the person | 375 | 0.40 | 1.8 | 0.23 | −3% |
| Robbery of personal property | 317 | 0.34 | 0.91 | 0.37 | −9% |
| Arson | 223 | 0.24 | 0.38 | 0.62 | −31% |
| Robbery of business property | 119 | 0.13 | 0.47 | 0.27 | – |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 39 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 1.19 | −5% |
| Homicide | 4 | <0.01 | 0.01 | 0.53 | −20% |
Recorded crime in the Norfolk Police area since the year ending March 2013
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2013 to 2026. The Norfolk Police area's rate was below the England and Wales rate in every one of those 14 years. Changes in how forces record crime move these figures as well as changes in crime (methodology).
| Year ending March | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 57,814 | 61.5 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 59,547 | 63.3 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 59,566 | 63.3 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 67,244 | 71.5 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 69,212 | 73.6 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 62,662 | 66.6 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 65,924 | 70.1 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 61,535 | 65.4 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 56,787 | 60.4 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 50,897 | 54.1 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 47,916 | 51.0 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 44,175 | 47.0 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 38,060 | 40.5 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 37,806 | 40.2 | 56.7 |
Districts in the Norfolk Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 7 districts in the Norfolk Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Norwich had the highest rate (108.9 per 1,000) and Broadland the lowest (34.8). 1.1% of the crimes recorded in the area that year were not assigned to a district, so the district figures add up to less than the force total.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwich | 16,023 | 108.9 | 1.31 |
| Great Yarmouth | 9,663 | 96.1 | 1.15 |
| King's Lynn and West Norfolk | 8,955 | 57.3 | 0.69 |
| Breckland | 7,199 | 49.1 | 0.59 |
| North Norfolk | 4,331 | 42.0 | 0.50 |
| South Norfolk | 6,192 | 41.7 | 0.50 |
| Broadland | 4,814 | 34.8 | 0.42 |
Source: Home Office police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables (released 23 July 2026), gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Financial years, excluding fraud; how they differ from the street-level figures: methodology.
7 of the 8 nearest police force areas have a higher crime rate than the Norfolk Police area; the highest is the City of London Police area (639.5 per 1,000) and the lowest the Suffolk Police area (61.9).
| Police force area | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs the Norfolk Police area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk | 48,655 | 61.9 | -13% |
| Cambridgeshire | 83,024 | 88.9 | +25% |
| Lincolnshire | 72,613 | 92.0 | +30% |
| Essex | 165,544 | 85.8 | +21% |
| Bedfordshire | 60,036 | 80.1 | +13% |
| Hertfordshire | 106,430 | 86.1 | +21% |
| Northamptonshire | 73,722 | 90.6 | +28% |
| City of London | 9,663 | 639.5 | +802% |
Of the 7 areas within the Norfolk Police area, Norwich had the highest crime rate (124.7 per 1,000) and Broadland the lowest (39.8), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwich | District | 147,182 | 18,355 | 124.7 |
| Great Yarmouth | District | 100,529 | 11,347 | 112.9 |
| King's Lynn and West Norfolk | District | 156,206 | 10,306 | 66.0 |
| Breckland | District | 146,620 | 8,523 | 58.1 |
| North Norfolk | District | 103,217 | 5,331 | 51.6 |
| South Norfolk | District | 148,448 | 7,321 | 49.3 |
| Broadland | District | 138,157 | 5,492 | 39.8 |
Of the 57,477 crimes in the Norfolk Police area with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 9,198 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 26,283 | 45.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 11,875 | 20.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 6,008 | 10.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4,003 | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 2,440 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 2,296 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,598 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1,497 | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 695 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 324 | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 225 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 125 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
The Norfolk Police area has an estimated population of 940,359 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (25%, against 19%), more retired residents (28%, against 22%) and fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up the Norfolk Police area average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | the Norfolk Police area | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 5.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is the Norfolk Police area a safe place to live?
The Norfolk Police area recorded 70.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 38th of the 41 police force areas on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in the Norfolk Police area?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 28,098 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (9,198).
Is crime in the Norfolk Police area going up or down?
Recorded crime in the Norfolk Police area was almost unchanged on the year before: 66,675 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 66,803 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of the Norfolk Police area?
About 940,359 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
How many crimes did the police record in the Norfolk Police area in the year ending March 2026?
57,814 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 61.5 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 59,547.
Which offences are more common in the Norfolk Police area than across England and Wales?
None: no category with at least 20 offences had a rate a quarter or more above the England and Wales rate in the year ending March 2026. The largest category was violence without injury (11,110).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.