Crime in Cromer: statistics, rates and trends
544 crimes were recorded in Cromer in the 12 months to August 2026, 72.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (204), anti-social behaviour (90) and shoplifting (72) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 736th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Cromer | North Norfolk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 544 | 5,331 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 72.2 | 51.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | +12% | -1% |
| Population | 7,532 | 103,217 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Cromer of any year here (544 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 1%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 544 | 72.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 553 | 73.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 603 | 80.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 680 | 90.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 635 | 84.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 764 | 101.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 614 | 81.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 586 | 77.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 551 | 73.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 65 |
| July 2026 | 40 |
| June 2026 | 54 |
| May 2026 | 51 |
| April 2026 | 53 |
| March 2026 | 33 |
| February 2026 | 38 |
| January 2026 | 44 |
| December 2025 | 25 |
| November 2025 | 39 |
| October 2025 | 51 |
| September 2025 | 51 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (53% below) and anti-social behaviour (22% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 63 to 90 and criminal damage and arson rose from 45 to 52, while shoplifting fell from 119 to 72 and other theft fell from 30 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 204 | 27.1 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 90 | 11.9 | 15.4 | +43% |
| Shoplifting | 72 | 9.6 | 8.5 | -39% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 52 | 6.9 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Public order | 46 | 6.1 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Other theft | 23 | 3.1 | 6.4 | -23% |
| Drugs | 15 | 2.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 1.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 9 | 1.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 1.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 8 | 1.1 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Cromer; the highest is Norwich (103.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Taverham and Drayton (26.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Cromer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheringham | 385 | 56.5 | -22% |
| North Walsham | 823 | 71.3 | -1% |
| Aylsham | 363 | 49.0 | -32% |
| Horsford | 202 | 32.4 | -55% |
| Taverham and Drayton | 413 | 26.3 | -64% |
| Fakenham | 708 | 86.7 | +20% |
| Norwich | 20,985 | 103.2 | +43% |
| Brundall | 242 | 44.6 | -38% |
Of the 2 areas within Cromer, Cromer Town had the highest crime rate (94.0 per 1,000) and Suffield Park the lowest (34.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cromer Town | Neighbourhood | 4,786 | 450 | 94.0 |
| Suffield Park | Neighbourhood | 2,746 | 94 | 34.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Cromer over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (49).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 49 |
| On or near Parking Area | 33 |
| On or near Vicarage Road | 29 |
| On or near Hans Place | 28 |
| On or near Barclay Close | 18 |
| On or near Central Road | 18 |
| On or near Jetty Street | 18 |
| On or near Cadogan Road | 13 |
| On or near Bernard Road | 12 |
| On or near Harbord Road | 12 |
Of the 454 crimes in Cromer with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 90 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 191 | 42.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 105 | 23.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 62 | 13.7% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 26 | 5.7% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 18 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 2.0% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
Cromer has an estimated population of 7,532 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (38%, against 19%), more retired residents (41%, against 22%) and fewer students (2.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Cromer average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Cromer | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 11.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 38.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 42.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 40.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 2.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Cromer a safe place to live?
Cromer recorded 72.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 736th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Cromer?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 204 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (90).
Is crime in Cromer going up or down?
Recorded crime in Cromer was down 2% on the year before: 544 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 553 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Cromer?
About 7,532 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 38% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Cromer?
Cromer is policed by Norfolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.