Crime in Bicester: statistics, rates and trends
3,255 crimes were recorded in Bicester in the 12 months to August 2026, 83.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bicester at a glance
- Crime trends in Bicester
- Types of crime in Bicester
- Bicester compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Bicester
- Streets with the most crime in Bicester
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bicester
- Demographics of Bicester
- Questions about crime in Bicester
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,093), shoplifting (898) and anti-social behaviour (247) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 560th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Bicester | Cherwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,255 | 12,225 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 83.2 | 71.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 39,109 | 170,426 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bicester peaked in the year to August 2022 (3,523 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (2,617). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,255 | 83.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,960 | 75.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,159 | 80.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,233 | 82.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,523 | 90.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,808 | 71.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,617 | 66.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,636 | 67.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,926 | 74.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 281 |
| July 2026 | 278 |
| June 2026 | 265 |
| May 2026 | 317 |
| April 2026 | 273 |
| March 2026 | 285 |
| February 2026 | 250 |
| January 2026 | 273 |
| December 2025 | 301 |
| November 2025 | 265 |
| October 2025 | 249 |
| September 2025 | 218 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bicester recorded notably more shoplifting (2.7 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (62% below) and drugs (60% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 23 to 46 and bicycle theft rose from 45 to 65, while other crime fell from 66 to 51 and theft from the person fell from 30 to 25.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,093 | 27.9 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 898 | 23.0 | 8.5 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 247 | 6.3 | 15.4 | +25% |
| Public order | 216 | 5.5 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Other theft | 206 | 5.3 | 6.4 | +11% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 170 | 4.3 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Vehicle crime | 96 | 2.5 | 5.0 | -13% |
| Burglary | 69 | 1.8 | 3.6 | 0% |
| Bicycle theft | 65 | 1.7 | 0.8 | +44% |
| Drugs | 51 | 1.3 | 3.3 | -4% |
| Other crime | 51 | 1.3 | 2.1 | -23% |
| Robbery | 46 | 1.2 | 1.4 | +100% |
| Theft from the person | 25 | 0.6 | 1.7 | -17% |
| Possession of weapons | 22 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bicester; the highest is Oxford (103.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Bodicote (32.8).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bicester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidlington | 937 | 58.8 | -29% |
| Brackley | 633 | 37.5 | -55% |
| Buckingham | 874 | 57.6 | -31% |
| Oxford | 17,690 | 103.9 | +25% |
| Bodicote | 181 | 32.8 | -61% |
| Winslow | 351 | 62.4 | -25% |
| Eynsham | 298 | 43.9 | -47% |
| Haddenham (Buckinghamshire) | 269 | 36.5 | -56% |
Of the 4 areas within Bicester, Bicester East had the highest crime rate (113.3 per 1,000) and Bicester North and Caversfield the lowest (47.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bicester East | Neighbourhood | 9,709 | 1,100 | 113.3 |
| Bicester South and Ambrosden | Neighbourhood | 16,038 | 1,442 | 89.9 |
| Bicester West | Neighbourhood | 8,867 | 578 | 65.2 |
| Bicester North and Caversfield | Neighbourhood | 11,047 | 525 | 47.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Bicester over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (408).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 408 |
| On or near Parking Area | 395 |
| On or near Supermarket | 153 |
| On or near Sheep Street | 115 |
| On or near Market Square | 81 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 78 |
| On or near Oxford Road | 71 |
| On or near Hart Place | 44 |
| On or near Wesley Lane | 43 |
| On or near Ashdene Road | 41 |
Of the 3,008 crimes in Bicester with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 247 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,036 | 34.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 992 | 33.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 356 | 11.8% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 192 | 6.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 135 | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 121 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 70 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 61 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 23 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 19 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Bicester has an estimated population of 39,109 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%) and a younger population (14%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bicester average decile 8.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Bicester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 69.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bicester a safe place to live?
Bicester recorded 83.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 560th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Bicester?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,093 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (898).
Is crime in Bicester going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bicester was up 10% on the year before: 3,255 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,960 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bicester?
About 39,109 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bicester?
Bicester 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.