Crime in Burwell: statistics, rates and trends
325 crimes were recorded in Burwell in the 12 months to August 2026, 50.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 47% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (118), anti-social behaviour (54) and criminal damage and arson (32) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,142nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Burwell | East Cambridgeshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 325 | 5,607 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 50.0 | 60.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +47% | +10% | -1% |
| Population | 6,496 | 92,906 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Burwell peaked in the year to August 2023 (353 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (197). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 325 | 50.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 221 | 34.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 280 | 43.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 353 | 54.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 286 | 44.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 263 | 40.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 265 | 40.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 197 | 30.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 265 | 40.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 28 |
| July 2026 | 28 |
| June 2026 | 18 |
| May 2026 | 28 |
| April 2026 | 40 |
| March 2026 | 31 |
| February 2026 | 23 |
| January 2026 | 17 |
| December 2025 | 34 |
| November 2025 | 22 |
| October 2025 | 32 |
| September 2025 | 24 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (47% below) and violence and sexual offences (47% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 85 to 118.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 118 | 18.2 | 34.2 | +39% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 54 | 8.3 | 15.4 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 32 | 4.9 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 29 | 4.5 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Burglary | 27 | 4.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 3.1 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Public order | 13 | 2.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 11 | 1.7 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Burwell; the highest is Mildenhall (West Suffolk) (80.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Red Lodge (42.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Burwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newmarket | 1,512 | 73.7 | +47% |
| Soham | 686 | 56.6 | +13% |
| Waterbeach | 294 | 51.3 | +2% |
| Red Lodge | 299 | 42.0 | -16% |
| Cottenham | 477 | 65.2 | +30% |
| Ely | 1,601 | 78.8 | +57% |
| Mildenhall (West Suffolk) | 733 | 80.5 | +61% |
| Beck Row | 233 | 45.3 | -10% |
Burwell is the one area listed within Burwell, with 50.0 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burwell | Neighbourhood | 6,496 | 325 | 50.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 49% of the crime recorded in Burwell over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (38).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 38 |
| On or near Grantchester Rise | 31 |
| On or near Hawthorn Way | 17 |
| On or near Burling Way | 14 |
| On or near Barkways | 11 |
| On or near The Causeway | 11 |
| On or near Garden Court | 9 |
| On or near Guyatt Court | 9 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 9 |
| On or near Westhorpe | 9 |
Of the 271 crimes in Burwell with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 54 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 112 | 41.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 93 | 34.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 38 | 14.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8 | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 8 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.8% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 0.7% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
Burwell has an estimated population of 6,496 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (10%, against 23%), less private renting (11%, against 20%) and fewer students (4.9%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Burwell average decile 8.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Burwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 10.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Burwell a safe place to live?
Burwell recorded 50.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,142nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Burwell?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 118 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (54).
Is crime in Burwell going up or down?
Recorded crime in Burwell was up 47% on the year before: 325 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 221 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Burwell?
About 6,496 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Burwell?
Burwell is policed by Cambridgeshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.