Crime in Newbury: statistics, rates and trends
3,803 crimes were recorded in Newbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 92.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,285), shoplifting (577) and anti-social behaviour (467) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 445th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Newbury | West Berkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,803 | 10,756 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 92.1 | 65.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 41,309 | 165,112 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Newbury peaked in the year to August 2023 (4,004 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (3,054). 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 | 3,803 | 92.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,875 | 93.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,789 | 91.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,004 | 96.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,979 | 96.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,149 | 76.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,054 | 73.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,493 | 84.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,250 | 78.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 346 |
| July 2026 | 393 |
| June 2026 | 321 |
| May 2026 | 357 |
| April 2026 | 292 |
| March 2026 | 315 |
| February 2026 | 246 |
| January 2026 | 282 |
| December 2025 | 322 |
| November 2025 | 308 |
| October 2025 | 300 |
| September 2025 | 321 |
Compared with England and Wales, Newbury recorded notably more bicycle theft (67% above the national rate) and shoplifting (65% above the national rate), and notably less robbery (36% below) and anti-social behaviour (26% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 123 to 178 and burglary rose from 99 to 125, while bicycle theft fell from 77 to 57 and robbery fell from 43 to 36.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,285 | 31.1 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Shoplifting | 577 | 14.0 | 8.5 | +18% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 467 | 11.3 | 15.4 | -3% |
| Public order | 318 | 7.7 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 285 | 6.9 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Other theft | 229 | 5.5 | 6.4 | +20% |
| Vehicle crime | 178 | 4.3 | 5.0 | +45% |
| Drugs | 144 | 3.5 | 3.3 | -11% |
| Burglary | 125 | 3.0 | 3.6 | +26% |
| Other crime | 75 | 1.8 | 2.1 | +6% |
| Bicycle theft | 57 | 1.4 | 0.8 | -26% |
| Robbery | 36 | 0.9 | 1.4 | -16% |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 13 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thatcham | 1,696 | 66.4 | -28% |
| Tadley | 596 | 41.3 | -55% |
| Hungerford | 405 | 65.8 | -29% |
| Overton (Basingstoke and Deane) | 246 | 46.6 | -49% |
| Burghfield Common | 502 | 73.9 | -20% |
| Whitchurch (Basingstoke and Deane) | 261 | 41.8 | -55% |
| Oakley (Basingstoke and Deane) | 203 | 35.0 | -62% |
| Basingstoke | 10,559 | 87.4 | -5% |
Of the 5 areas within Newbury, Newbury Central had the highest crime rate (190.0 per 1,000) and Newbury Wash Common the lowest (47.1), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newbury Central | Neighbourhood | 6,433 | 1,222 | 190.0 |
| Newbury Clay Hill | Neighbourhood | 9,001 | 796 | 88.4 |
| Newbury Greenham | Neighbourhood | 12,878 | 1,110 | 86.2 |
| Newbury Speen | Neighbourhood | 10,041 | 732 | 72.9 |
| Newbury Wash Common | Neighbourhood | 9,709 | 457 | 47.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Newbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (263).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 263 |
| On or near Supermarket | 232 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 128 |
| On or near Stirrup Close | 126 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 103 |
| On or near Northbrook Street | 96 |
| On or near Steel Close | 72 |
| On or near Mabel Luke Place | 71 |
| On or near Jago Court | 62 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 57 |
Of the 3,336 crimes in Newbury with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 467 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,192 | 35.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 996 | 29.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 430 | 12.9% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 208 | 6.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 180 | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 160 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 79 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 32 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 23 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 22 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 9 | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Newbury has an estimated population of 41,309 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (18%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Newbury average decile 7.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Newbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Newbury a safe place to live?
Newbury recorded 92.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 445th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Newbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,285 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (577).
Is crime in Newbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Newbury was down 2% on the year before: 3,803 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,875 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Newbury?
About 41,309 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Newbury?
Newbury 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.