Crime in Leicester: statistics, rates and trends
49,035 crimes were recorded in Leicester in the 12 months to August 2026, 115.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Leicester at a glance
- Crime trends in Leicester
- Types of crime in Leicester
- Leicester compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Leicester
- Streets with the most crime in Leicester
- What happened after crimes were reported in Leicester
- Demographics of Leicester
- Questions about crime in Leicester
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (17,633), anti-social behaviour (6,450) and public order (4,932) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 206th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Leicester | Leicester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 49,035 | 47,488 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 115.6 | 122.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 424,069 | 388,348 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Leicester peaked in the year to August 2022 (54,662 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (47,117). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 4%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 49,035 | 115.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 52,362 | 123.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 51,210 | 120.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 53,500 | 126.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 54,662 | 128.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 48,179 | 113.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 47,117 | 111.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 50,444 | 119.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 50,922 | 120.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 4,574 |
| July 2026 | 4,527 |
| June 2026 | 4,278 |
| May 2026 | 4,245 |
| April 2026 | 3,911 |
| March 2026 | 4,132 |
| February 2026 | 3,610 |
| January 2026 | 3,994 |
| December 2025 | 3,628 |
| November 2025 | 3,766 |
| October 2025 | 4,325 |
| September 2025 | 4,045 |
Compared with England and Wales, Leicester recorded notably more public order (75% above the national rate), bicycle theft (65% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (57% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (31% below). On the year before, bicycle theft fell from 831 to 577 and vehicle crime fell from 3,231 to 2,330.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 17,633 | 41.6 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 6,450 | 15.2 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Public order | 4,932 | 11.6 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 4,490 | 10.6 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 3,638 | 8.6 | 8.5 | -9% |
| Other theft | 3,025 | 7.1 | 6.4 | -11% |
| Vehicle crime | 2,330 | 5.5 | 5.0 | -28% |
| Drugs | 1,878 | 4.4 | 3.3 | +1% |
| Burglary | 1,686 | 4.0 | 3.6 | -10% |
| Other crime | 817 | 1.9 | 2.1 | -22% |
| Robbery | 612 | 1.4 | 1.4 | +5% |
| Bicycle theft | 577 | 1.4 | 0.8 | -31% |
| Theft from the person | 492 | 1.2 | 1.7 | -8% |
| Possession of weapons | 475 | 1.1 | 1.0 | -3% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birstall | 801 | 54.1 | -53% |
| Thurmaston | 814 | 81.1 | -30% |
| Oadby | 1,340 | 52.6 | -55% |
| Wigston | 2,556 | 67.3 | -42% |
| Anstey | 497 | 63.4 | -45% |
| Leicester Forest East and Kirby Muxloe | 710 | 55.5 | -52% |
| Groby | 295 | 43.0 | -63% |
| Syston | 931 | 69.5 | -40% |
Of the 28 areas within Leicester, Castle had the highest crime rate (443.9 per 1,000) and Glen Parva the lowest (42.7), 10 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle | Neighbourhood | 26,503 | 11,764 | 443.9 |
| Saffron | Neighbourhood | 12,587 | 2,074 | 164.8 |
| Fosse | Neighbourhood | 17,250 | 2,447 | 141.9 |
| Westcotes | Neighbourhood | 17,876 | 2,405 | 134.5 |
| Eyres Monsell | Neighbourhood | 12,581 | 1,668 | 132.6 |
| Beaumont Leys | Neighbourhood | 22,286 | 2,813 | 126.2 |
| Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields | Neighbourhood | 21,333 | 2,598 | 121.8 |
| Abbey | Neighbourhood | 23,195 | 2,783 | 120.0 |
| Western | Neighbourhood | 20,727 | 2,424 | 116.9 |
| Stoneygate | Neighbourhood | 23,542 | 2,443 | 103.8 |
| Aylestone | Neighbourhood | 13,000 | 1,346 | 103.5 |
| Thurncourt | Neighbourhood | 11,907 | 1,025 | 86.1 |
| Troon | Neighbourhood | 17,099 | 1,452 | 84.9 |
| Braunstone Ravenhurst | Neighbourhood | 4,691 | 397 | 84.6 |
| Evington | Neighbourhood | 18,309 | 1,442 | 78.8 |
| Humberstone & Hamilton | Neighbourhood | 20,747 | 1,558 | 75.1 |
| Thorpe Astley & St Mary's | Neighbourhood | 6,410 | 481 | 75.0 |
| Belgrave | Neighbourhood | 20,144 | 1,502 | 74.6 |
| Knighton | Neighbourhood | 18,422 | 1,360 | 73.8 |
| Glenfield Ellis | Neighbourhood | 6,046 | 426 | 70.5 |
| Wycliffe | Neighbourhood | 16,219 | 1,112 | 68.6 |
| Glenfield Faire | Neighbourhood | 4,987 | 336 | 67.4 |
| Rushey Mead | Neighbourhood | 18,093 | 1,205 | 66.6 |
| Braunstone Millfield | Neighbourhood | 7,041 | 437 | 62.1 |
| North Evington | Neighbourhood | 24,161 | 1,451 | 60.1 |
| Thurnby & Houghton | Neighbourhood | 9,877 | 588 | 59.5 |
| Spinney Hills | Neighbourhood | 12,367 | 616 | 49.8 |
| Glen Parva | Neighbourhood | 7,114 | 304 | 42.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 16% of the crime recorded in Leicester over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (1,782).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 1,782 |
| On or near Parking Area | 1,323 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 1,312 |
| On or near Hospital | 633 |
| On or near Nightclub | 591 |
| On or near East Gates | 555 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 497 |
| On or near Euston Street | 422 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 403 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 318 |
Of the 42,585 crimes in Leicester with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 6,450 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 16,700 | 39.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 12,840 | 30.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 4,271 | 10.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2,635 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 1,633 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 1,461 | 3.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 914 | 2.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 737 | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 470 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 332 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 299 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 282 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
Leicester has an estimated population of 424,069 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (14.4%, against 7.9%), more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%) and more private renting (28%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Leicester average decile 3.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Leicester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 14.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 26.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 30.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 50.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 27.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 18.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Leicester a safe place to live?
Leicester recorded 115.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 206th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Leicester?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 17,633 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (6,450).
Is crime in Leicester going up or down?
Recorded crime in Leicester was down 6% on the year before: 49,035 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 52,362 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Leicester?
About 424,069 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Leicester?
Leicester is policed by Leicestershire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.