Crime in Ely: statistics, rates and trends
1,601 crimes were recorded in Ely in the 12 months to August 2026, 78.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (477), anti-social behaviour (403) and shoplifting (222) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 635th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Ely | East Cambridgeshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,601 | 5,607 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 78.8 | 60.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +10% | -1% |
| Population | 20,327 | 92,906 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Ely of any year here (1,601 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,601 | 78.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,513 | 74.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,368 | 67.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,430 | 70.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,288 | 63.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,493 | 73.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,354 | 66.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,327 | 65.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,374 | 67.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 151 |
| July 2026 | 181 |
| June 2026 | 130 |
| May 2026 | 146 |
| April 2026 | 125 |
| March 2026 | 139 |
| February 2026 | 89 |
| January 2026 | 134 |
| December 2025 | 123 |
| November 2025 | 113 |
| October 2025 | 145 |
| September 2025 | 125 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ely recorded notably more shoplifting (29% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (29% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (52% below) and drugs (50% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 29 to 46 and shoplifting rose from 140 to 222, while criminal damage and arson fell from 142 to 110.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 477 | 23.5 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 403 | 19.8 | 15.4 | +15% |
| Shoplifting | 222 | 10.9 | 8.5 | +59% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 110 | 5.4 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Other theft | 84 | 4.1 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Public order | 78 | 3.8 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 48 | 2.4 | 5.0 | -2% |
| Burglary | 46 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +12% |
| Other crime | 46 | 2.3 | 2.1 | +59% |
| Drugs | 33 | 1.6 | 3.3 | +32% |
| Bicycle theft | 19 | 0.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 16 | 0.8 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ely |
|---|---|---|---|
| Littleport | 680 | 78.0 | -1% |
| Soham | 686 | 56.6 | -28% |
| Burwell | 325 | 50.0 | -36% |
| Waterbeach | 294 | 51.3 | -35% |
| Chatteris | 838 | 75.1 | -5% |
| Beck Row | 233 | 45.3 | -43% |
| Cottenham | 477 | 65.2 | -17% |
| Doddington and Wimblington | 280 | 55.8 | -29% |
Of the 3 areas within Ely, Ely East had the highest crime rate (149.7 per 1,000) and Ely North the lowest (48.6), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ely East | Neighbourhood | 5,658 | 847 | 149.7 |
| Ely West | Neighbourhood | 8,692 | 510 | 58.7 |
| Ely North | Neighbourhood | 7,207 | 350 | 48.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Ely over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (340).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 340 |
| On or near Newnham Street | 65 |
| On or near Market Street | 64 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 57 |
| On or near Little Lane | 41 |
| On or near St Mary'S Street | 37 |
| On or near Steeple Row | 36 |
| On or near Chantry Lane | 30 |
| On or near Bedford Close | 29 |
| On or near Fore Hill | 26 |
Of the 1,198 crimes in Ely with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 403 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 445 | 37.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 411 | 34.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 115 | 9.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 107 | 8.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 48 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 35 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 15 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Ely has an estimated population of 20,327 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (44%, against 34%), fewer students (5.4%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (13%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ely average decile 8.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Ely | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 44.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ely a safe place to live?
Ely recorded 78.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 635th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Ely?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 477 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (403).
Is crime in Ely going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ely was up 6% on the year before: 1,601 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,513 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ely?
About 20,327 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ely?
Ely 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.