Crime in Dereham: statistics, rates and trends
1,704 crimes were recorded in Dereham in the 12 months to August 2026, 79.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (699), shoplifting (235) and anti-social behaviour (229) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 630th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Dereham | Breckland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,704 | 8,523 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 79.1 | 58.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 21,555 | 146,620 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Dereham peaked in the year to August 2022 (2,093 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (1,640). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,704 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,781 | 82.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,791 | 83.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,891 | 87.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,093 | 97.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,640 | 76.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,758 | 81.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,851 | 85.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,896 | 88.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 129 |
| July 2026 | 155 |
| June 2026 | 155 |
| May 2026 | 179 |
| April 2026 | 157 |
| March 2026 | 131 |
| February 2026 | 108 |
| January 2026 | 134 |
| December 2025 | 134 |
| November 2025 | 129 |
| October 2025 | 156 |
| September 2025 | 137 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dereham recorded notably more possession of weapons (29% above the national rate) and shoplifting (29% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (78% below) and burglary (67% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 45 to 63 and other crime rose from 42 to 52, while shoplifting fell from 326 to 235 and criminal damage and arson fell from 156 to 125.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 699 | 32.4 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 235 | 10.9 | 8.5 | -28% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 229 | 10.6 | 15.4 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 125 | 5.8 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Public order | 112 | 5.2 | 6.7 | +19% |
| Other theft | 94 | 4.4 | 6.4 | +21% |
| Drugs | 63 | 2.9 | 3.3 | +40% |
| Other crime | 52 | 2.4 | 2.1 | +24% |
| Possession of weapons | 27 | 1.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 25 | 1.2 | 3.6 | -7% |
| Vehicle crime | 24 | 1.1 | 5.0 | -8% |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Dereham; the highest is Fakenham (86.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Taverham and Drayton (26.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dereham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watton | 764 | 57.4 | -27% |
| Wymondham (South Norfolk) | 1,340 | 73.6 | -7% |
| Swaffham | 597 | 78.7 | 0% |
| Hethersett | 445 | 55.4 | -30% |
| Taverham and Drayton | 413 | 26.3 | -67% |
| Fakenham | 708 | 86.7 | +10% |
| Attleborough | 603 | 53.3 | -33% |
| Horsford | 202 | 32.4 | -59% |
Of the 3 areas within Dereham, Dereham Neatherd had the highest crime rate (141.1 per 1,000) and Dereham Toftwood the lowest (42.4), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dereham Neatherd | Neighbourhood | 7,791 | 1,099 | 141.1 |
| Dereham Withburga | Neighbourhood | 4,715 | 251 | 53.2 |
| Dereham Toftwood | Neighbourhood | 7,472 | 317 | 42.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Dereham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (182).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 182 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 98 |
| On or near Nelson Place | 97 |
| On or near St Nicholas Street | 86 |
| On or near Nightclub | 76 |
| On or near Quebec Street | 60 |
| On or near Parking Area | 51 |
| On or near Church Street | 31 |
| On or near Courtenay Close | 28 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 27 |
Of the 1,475 crimes in Dereham with a recorded outcome, 18% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 11% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 229 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 658 | 44.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 263 | 17.8% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 159 | 10.8% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 135 | 9.2% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 94 | 6.4% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 65 | 4.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 41 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 16 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 4 | 0.3% | 0.0% |
Dereham has an estimated population of 21,555 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (21%, against 34%) and an older population (24%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dereham average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Dereham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Dereham a safe place to live?
Dereham recorded 79.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 630th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Dereham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 699 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (235).
Is crime in Dereham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dereham was down 4% on the year before: 1,704 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,781 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dereham?
About 21,555 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dereham?
Dereham 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.