Crime in Lakenheath: statistics, rates and trends
242 crimes were recorded in Lakenheath in the 12 months to August 2026, 47.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 51% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lakenheath at a glance
- Crime trends in Lakenheath
- Types of crime in Lakenheath
- Lakenheath compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Lakenheath
- Streets with the most crime in Lakenheath
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lakenheath
- Demographics of Lakenheath
- Questions about crime in Lakenheath
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (99), other theft (24) and criminal damage and arson (22) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,190th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Lakenheath | West Suffolk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 242 | 11,225 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 47.8 | 59.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +51% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 5,059 | 188,485 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Lakenheath of any year here (242 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 78%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 242 | 47.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 160 | 31.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 202 | 39.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 124 | 24.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 99 | 19.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 139 | 27.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 132 | 26.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 109 | 21.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 136 | 26.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 21 |
| July 2026 | 18 |
| June 2026 | 25 |
| May 2026 | 25 |
| April 2026 | 20 |
| March 2026 | 18 |
| February 2026 | 16 |
| January 2026 | 19 |
| December 2025 | 20 |
| November 2025 | 18 |
| October 2025 | 17 |
| September 2025 | 25 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (43% below) and criminal damage and arson (36% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 85 to 99.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 99 | 19.6 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Other theft | 24 | 4.7 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 22 | 4.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 21 | 4.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 19 | 3.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 13 | 2.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Anti-social behaviour | 12 | 2.4 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 9 | 1.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 1.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Public order | 8 | 1.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 3 | 0.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Lakenheath; the highest is Thetford (95.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Red Lodge (42.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lakenheath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beck Row | 233 | 45.3 | -5% |
| Brandon (West Suffolk) | 629 | 64.4 | +35% |
| Mildenhall (West Suffolk) | 733 | 80.5 | +68% |
| Red Lodge | 299 | 42.0 | -12% |
| Thetford | 2,414 | 95.4 | +99% |
| Soham | 686 | 56.6 | +18% |
| Littleport | 680 | 78.0 | +63% |
| Ely | 1,601 | 78.8 | +65% |
Lakenheath is the one area listed within Lakenheath, with 30.7 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakenheath | Neighbourhood | 9,291 | 285 | 30.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Lakenheath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Bell Trees” (26).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Bell Trees | 26 |
| On or near Magnolia Drive | 13 |
| On or near Avenue Road | 12 |
| On or near Wings Road Close | 11 |
| On or near Supermarket | 10 |
| On or near Albert Rolph Drive | 9 |
| On or near Roebuck Drive | 7 |
| On or near Saxon Place | 7 |
| On or near Wingfield Road | 7 |
| On or near B1112 | 6 |
Of the 230 crimes in Lakenheath with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 12 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 84 | 36.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 75 | 32.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 36 | 15.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 3.5% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8 | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Lakenheath has an estimated population of 5,059 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (30%, against 18%), fewer households without a car (8.7%, against 23.3%) and fewer unemployed residents (1.4%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lakenheath average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Lakenheath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 19.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 29.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 27.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lakenheath a safe place to live?
Lakenheath recorded 47.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,190th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Lakenheath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 99 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by other theft (24).
Is crime in Lakenheath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lakenheath was up 51% on the year before: 242 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 160 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lakenheath?
About 5,059 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lakenheath?
Lakenheath is policed by Suffolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.