Crime in Potters Bar: statistics, rates and trends
2,320 crimes were recorded in Potters Bar in the 12 months to August 2026, 94.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Potters Bar at a glance
- Crime trends in Potters Bar
- Types of crime in Potters Bar
- Potters Bar compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Potters Bar
- Streets with the most crime in Potters Bar
- What happened after crimes were reported in Potters Bar
- Demographics of Potters Bar
- Questions about crime in Potters Bar
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (765), anti-social behaviour (453) and other theft (258) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 416th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Potters Bar | Hertsmere | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,320 | 9,819 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 94.8 | 89.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | -8% | -1% |
| Population | 24,465 | 110,212 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Potters Bar of any year here (2,320 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 5%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,320 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,297 | 93.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,096 | 85.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,098 | 85.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,053 | 83.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,175 | 88.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,083 | 85.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,137 | 87.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,218 | 90.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 208 |
| July 2026 | 234 |
| June 2026 | 189 |
| May 2026 | 189 |
| April 2026 | 228 |
| March 2026 | 184 |
| February 2026 | 187 |
| January 2026 | 190 |
| December 2025 | 203 |
| November 2025 | 162 |
| October 2025 | 181 |
| September 2025 | 165 |
Compared with England and Wales, Potters Bar recorded notably more other theft (64% above the national rate) and burglary (29% above the national rate), and notably less other crime (46% below) and public order (39% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 60 to 94 and other theft rose from 211 to 258, while shoplifting fell from 368 to 181 and other crime fell from 40 to 28.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 765 | 31.3 | 34.2 | +12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 453 | 18.5 | 15.4 | +16% |
| Other theft | 258 | 10.5 | 6.4 | +22% |
| Shoplifting | 181 | 7.4 | 8.5 | -51% |
| Vehicle crime | 144 | 5.9 | 5.0 | +1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 124 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Burglary | 112 | 4.6 | 3.6 | +13% |
| Public order | 100 | 4.1 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Drugs | 94 | 3.8 | 3.3 | +57% |
| Other crime | 28 | 1.1 | 2.1 | -30% |
| Possession of weapons | 21 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0% |
| Robbery | 21 | 0.9 | 1.4 | -28% |
| Theft from the person | 14 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Potters Bar; the highest is London Colney (151.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Radlett (60.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Potters Bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borehamwood | 4,229 | 104.4 | +10% |
| Hatfield | 5,492 | 127.3 | +34% |
| London Colney | 1,274 | 151.6 | +60% |
| Radlett | 490 | 60.0 | -37% |
| Cheshunt | 4,322 | 97.2 | +2% |
| Enfield | 36,570 | 112.9 | +19% |
| Barnet | 37,279 | 92.7 | -2% |
| Waltham Cross | 1,587 | 119.2 | +26% |
Of the 4 areas within Potters Bar, Potters Bar Parkfield had the highest crime rate (117.1 per 1,000) and Bentley Heath & The Royds the lowest (72.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potters Bar Parkfield | Neighbourhood | 5,168 | 605 | 117.1 |
| Potters Bar Oakmere | Neighbourhood | 6,579 | 718 | 109.1 |
| Potters Bar Furzefield | Neighbourhood | 6,643 | 578 | 87.0 |
| Bentley Heath & The Royds | Neighbourhood | 4,387 | 318 | 72.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Potters Bar over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (267).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 267 |
| On or near Parking Area | 119 |
| On or near Supermarket | 99 |
| On or near Byers Close | 84 |
| On or near Lexington Court | 67 |
| On or near St John'S Close | 47 |
| On or near Oakmere Mews | 41 |
| On or near The Service Road | 40 |
| On or near Firs Lane | 39 |
| On or near Cranborne Crescent | 36 |
Of the 1,867 crimes in Potters Bar with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 453 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 763 | 40.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 580 | 31.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 213 | 11.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 80 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 79 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 60 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 31 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 23 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 7 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Potters Bar has an estimated population of 24,465 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%), less social housing (12%, against 17%) and less private renting (16%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Potters Bar average decile 7.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Potters Bar | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Potters Bar a safe place to live?
Potters Bar recorded 94.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 416th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other theft and burglary.
What is the most common crime in Potters Bar?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 765 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (453).
Is crime in Potters Bar going up or down?
Recorded crime in Potters Bar was up 1% on the year before: 2,320 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,297 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Potters Bar?
About 24,465 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Potters Bar?
Potters Bar is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.