Crime in Olney: statistics, rates and trends
342 crimes were recorded in Olney in the 12 months to August 2026, 43.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (146), shoplifting (39) and anti-social behaviour (33) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,242nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Olney | Milton Keynes | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 342 | 30,686 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 43.6 | 100.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 7,849 | 305,884 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Olney of any year here (342 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 46%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 342 | 43.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 316 | 40.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 326 | 41.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 314 | 40.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 326 | 41.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 308 | 39.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 261 | 33.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 246 | 31.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 234 | 29.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 41 |
| July 2026 | 28 |
| June 2026 | 33 |
| May 2026 | 35 |
| April 2026 | 17 |
| March 2026 | 31 |
| February 2026 | 20 |
| January 2026 | 23 |
| December 2025 | 20 |
| November 2025 | 31 |
| October 2025 | 32 |
| September 2025 | 31 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (73% below) and public order (62% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 20 to 39.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 146 | 18.6 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 39 | 5.0 | 8.5 | +95% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 33 | 4.2 | 15.4 | -3% |
| Other theft | 23 | 2.9 | 6.4 | +5% |
| Burglary | 21 | 2.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Public order | 20 | 2.5 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 2.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 18 | 2.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 17 | 2.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Olney; the highest is Northampton (121.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Wootton (Bedford) (36.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Olney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newport Pagnell | 966 | 62.1 | +42% |
| Cranfield | 372 | 42.6 | -2% |
| Earls Barton | 329 | 51.4 | +18% |
| Milton Keynes | 21,460 | 109.2 | +151% |
| Wootton (Bedford) | 305 | 36.5 | -16% |
| Marston Moretaine | 300 | 53.2 | +22% |
| Kempston | 2,008 | 94.2 | +116% |
| Northampton | 30,137 | 121.1 | +178% |
Olney is the one area listed within Olney, with 46.5 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olney | Neighbourhood | 14,020 | 652 | 46.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Olney over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Rabans Close” and “Supermarket” (24 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Rabans Close | 24 |
| On or near Supermarket | 24 |
| On or near Osier Way | 17 |
| On or near Berrells Court | 16 |
| On or near High Street South | 16 |
| On or near Parking Area | 13 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 12 |
| On or near Weston Road | 9 |
| On or near A509 | 8 |
| On or near Police Station | 8 |
Of the 309 crimes in Olney with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 33 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 103 | 33.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 100 | 32.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 47 | 15.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 21 | 6.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 3.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 7 | 2.3% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.3% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Olney has an estimated population of 7,849 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.9%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%) and an older population (27%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Olney average decile 8.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Olney | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 43.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Olney a safe place to live?
Olney recorded 43.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,242nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Olney?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 146 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (39).
Is crime in Olney going up or down?
Recorded crime in Olney was up 8% on the year before: 342 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 316 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Olney?
About 7,849 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Olney?
Olney 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.