Crime in Norwich: statistics, rates and trends
20,985 crimes were recorded in Norwich in the 12 months to August 2026, 103.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (7,948), anti-social behaviour (3,050) and shoplifting (2,686) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 316th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Norwich | Norwich | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 20,985 | 18,355 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 103.2 | 124.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 203,310 | 147,182 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Norwich of any year here (20,985 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 20,985 | 103.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 21,735 | 106.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 21,650 | 106.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 22,943 | 112.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 25,058 | 123.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 23,528 | 115.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 24,580 | 120.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 24,760 | 121.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 24,488 | 120.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,825 |
| July 2026 | 1,880 |
| June 2026 | 1,753 |
| May 2026 | 1,834 |
| April 2026 | 1,663 |
| March 2026 | 1,888 |
| February 2026 | 1,562 |
| January 2026 | 1,545 |
| December 2025 | 1,691 |
| November 2025 | 1,776 |
| October 2025 | 1,796 |
| September 2025 | 1,772 |
Compared with England and Wales, Norwich recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.4 times the national rate), shoplifting (56% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (27% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (54% below) and vehicle crime (48% below). On the year before, robbery fell from 246 to 196 and burglary fell from 549 to 461.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 7,948 | 39.1 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 3,050 | 15.0 | 15.4 | -7% |
| Shoplifting | 2,686 | 13.2 | 8.5 | -4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,745 | 8.6 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Public order | 1,405 | 6.9 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Other theft | 1,091 | 5.4 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Drugs | 612 | 3.0 | 3.3 | +7% |
| Vehicle crime | 529 | 2.6 | 5.0 | +3% |
| Burglary | 461 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -16% |
| Other crime | 457 | 2.2 | 2.1 | -5% |
| Bicycle theft | 401 | 2.0 | 0.8 | -4% |
| Possession of weapons | 248 | 1.2 | 1.0 | -4% |
| Robbery | 196 | 1.0 | 1.4 | -20% |
| Theft from the person | 156 | 0.8 | 1.7 | -14% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cringleford | 350 | 58.8 | -43% |
| Taverham and Drayton | 413 | 26.3 | -74% |
| Horsford | 202 | 32.4 | -69% |
| Hethersett | 445 | 55.4 | -46% |
| Poringland | 264 | 37.6 | -64% |
| Brundall | 242 | 44.6 | -57% |
| Wymondham (South Norfolk) | 1,340 | 73.6 | -29% |
| Long Stratton | 176 | 28.8 | -72% |
Of the 21 areas within Norwich, Mancroft had the highest crime rate (386.7 per 1,000) and Thorpe St Andrew North West the lowest (30.6), 13 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mancroft | Neighbourhood | 10,354 | 4,004 | 386.7 |
| Thorpe Hamlet | Neighbourhood | 11,434 | 2,970 | 259.8 |
| Mile Cross | Neighbourhood | 11,328 | 1,340 | 118.3 |
| Catton Grove | Neighbourhood | 11,092 | 1,288 | 116.1 |
| Crome | Neighbourhood | 11,975 | 1,383 | 115.5 |
| Town Close | Neighbourhood | 9,543 | 940 | 98.5 |
| Lakenham | Neighbourhood | 10,082 | 983 | 97.5 |
| Wensum | Neighbourhood | 12,038 | 1,160 | 96.4 |
| Nelson | Neighbourhood | 13,120 | 1,134 | 86.4 |
| University | Neighbourhood | 13,125 | 1,029 | 78.4 |
| Bowthorpe | Neighbourhood | 11,597 | 877 | 75.6 |
| Sewell | Neighbourhood | 10,393 | 751 | 72.3 |
| Hellesdon North West | Neighbourhood | 5,811 | 348 | 59.9 |
| Thorpe St Andrew South East | Neighbourhood | 7,256 | 433 | 59.7 |
| Hellesdon South East | Neighbourhood | 5,963 | 352 | 59.0 |
| Eaton | Neighbourhood | 11,101 | 496 | 44.7 |
| Sprowston Central | Neighbourhood | 5,378 | 231 | 43.0 |
| New Costessey | Neighbourhood | 5,169 | 220 | 42.6 |
| Sprowston East | Neighbourhood | 10,839 | 452 | 41.7 |
| Old Catton and Sprowston West | Neighbourhood | 9,130 | 299 | 32.7 |
| Thorpe St Andrew North West | Neighbourhood | 7,393 | 226 | 30.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 23% of the crime recorded in Norwich over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (1,089).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 1,089 |
| On or near Parking Area | 896 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 729 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 489 |
| On or near Nightclub | 476 |
| On or near William Booth Street | 363 |
| On or near Knox Close | 229 |
| On or near Koblenz Avenue | 199 |
| On or near Prince Of Wales Road | 187 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 170 |
Of the 17,935 crimes in Norwich with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 3,050 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 7,812 | 43.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 4,199 | 23.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,552 | 8.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 1,519 | 8.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 908 | 5.1% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 577 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 430 | 2.4% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 407 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 222 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 204 | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 48 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 36 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Norwich has an estimated population of 203,310 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (12.8%, against 7.9%) and more social housing (25%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Norwich average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Norwich | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 12.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 52.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 24.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 7.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Norwich a safe place to live?
Norwich recorded 103.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 316th 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 Norwich?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 7,948 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (3,050).
Is crime in Norwich going up or down?
Recorded crime in Norwich was down 3% on the year before: 20,985 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 21,735 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Norwich?
About 203,310 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Norwich?
Norwich is policed by Norfolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.