Crime in High Wycombe: statistics, rates and trends
8,456 crimes were recorded in High Wycombe in the 12 months to August 2026, 93.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in High Wycombe at a glance
- Crime trends in High Wycombe
- Types of crime in High Wycombe
- High Wycombe compared with nearby towns
- Areas within High Wycombe
- Streets with the most crime in High Wycombe
- What happened after crimes were reported in High Wycombe
- Demographics of High Wycombe
- Questions about crime in High Wycombe
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,117), anti-social behaviour (979) and shoplifting (942) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 426th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | High Wycombe | Buckinghamshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 8,456 | 35,812 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 93.4 | 61.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 90,542 | 578,772 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in High Wycombe peaked in the year to August 2023 (9,461 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (7,355). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 8,456 | 93.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 9,215 | 101.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 9,361 | 103.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 9,461 | 104.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 9,296 | 102.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 8,383 | 92.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 7,571 | 83.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 7,387 | 81.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 7,355 | 81.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 707 |
| July 2026 | 811 |
| June 2026 | 826 |
| May 2026 | 667 |
| April 2026 | 663 |
| March 2026 | 671 |
| February 2026 | 666 |
| January 2026 | 673 |
| December 2025 | 664 |
| November 2025 | 668 |
| October 2025 | 741 |
| September 2025 | 699 |
Compared with England and Wales, High Wycombe recorded notably more drugs (48% above the national rate), and notably less bicycle theft (68% below) and theft from the person (61% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 146 to 191 and drugs rose from 349 to 438, while theft from the person fell from 102 to 60 and bicycle theft fell from 37 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,117 | 34.4 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 979 | 10.8 | 15.4 | -15% |
| Shoplifting | 942 | 10.4 | 8.5 | -16% |
| Public order | 681 | 7.5 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Other theft | 653 | 7.2 | 6.4 | -21% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 556 | 6.1 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Vehicle crime | 475 | 5.2 | 5.0 | -10% |
| Drugs | 438 | 4.8 | 3.3 | +26% |
| Other crime | 191 | 2.1 | 2.1 | +31% |
| Burglary | 178 | 2.0 | 3.6 | -21% |
| Robbery | 111 | 1.2 | 1.4 | +1% |
| Theft from the person | 60 | 0.7 | 1.7 | -41% |
| Possession of weapons | 51 | 0.6 | 1.0 | -15% |
| Bicycle theft | 24 | 0.3 | 0.8 | -35% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs High Wycombe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazlemere | 656 | 34.0 | -64% |
| Flackwell Heath and Wooburn Green | 770 | 59.1 | -37% |
| Marlow | 891 | 59.8 | -36% |
| Bourne End | 306 | 40.5 | -57% |
| Beaconsfield | 1,006 | 70.0 | -25% |
| Prestwood and Great Missenden | 342 | 48.3 | -48% |
| Cookham | 193 | 34.9 | -63% |
| Amersham | 761 | 44.2 | -53% |
Of the 9 areas within High Wycombe, Abbey had the highest crime rate (174.6 per 1,000) and Terriers & Amersham Hill the lowest (44.9), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey | Neighbourhood | 17,559 | 3,065 | 174.6 |
| Booker & Cressex | Neighbourhood | 4,998 | 756 | 151.3 |
| Castlefield & Oakridge | Neighbourhood | 10,809 | 957 | 88.5 |
| Sands | Neighbourhood | 7,081 | 608 | 85.9 |
| Marsh & Micklefield | Neighbourhood | 12,290 | 1,037 | 84.4 |
| Disraeli | Neighbourhood | 5,821 | 462 | 79.4 |
| Totteridge & Bowerdean | Neighbourhood | 13,190 | 700 | 53.1 |
| Downley | Neighbourhood | 6,680 | 338 | 50.6 |
| Terriers & Amersham Hill | Neighbourhood | 10,834 | 486 | 44.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in High Wycombe over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (473).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 473 |
| On or near Parking Area | 400 |
| On or near Supermarket | 323 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 212 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 175 |
| On or near Paul'S Row | 148 |
| On or near Monty Seymour Grove | 136 |
| On or near High Street | 102 |
| On or near Nightclub | 97 |
| On or near Buckmaster Road | 93 |
Of the 7,477 crimes in High Wycombe with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 979 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,509 | 33.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,347 | 31.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 991 | 13.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 449 | 6.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 397 | 5.3% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 347 | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 185 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 116 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 59 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 49 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 23 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
High Wycombe has an estimated population of 90,542 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has a younger population (12%, against 19%), fewer retired residents (14%, against 22%) and fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up High Wycombe average decile 5.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | High Wycombe | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 23.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is High Wycombe a safe place to live?
High Wycombe recorded 93.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 426th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs.
What is the most common crime in High Wycombe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,117 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (979).
Is crime in High Wycombe going up or down?
Recorded crime in High Wycombe was down 8% on the year before: 8,456 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 9,215 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of High Wycombe?
About 90,542 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers High Wycombe?
High Wycombe 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.