Crime in Retford: statistics, rates and trends
2,205 crimes were recorded in Retford in the 12 months to August 2026, 87.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (864), anti-social behaviour (323) and shoplifting (243) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 509th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Retford | Bassetlaw | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,205 | 12,091 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 87.3 | 96.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | +4% | -1% |
| Population | 25,261 | 124,937 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Retford peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,703 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (2,010). 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 | 2,205 | 87.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,010 | 79.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,278 | 90.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,449 | 96.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,593 | 102.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,316 | 91.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,703 | 107.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,611 | 103.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,556 | 101.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 259 |
| July 2026 | 225 |
| June 2026 | 178 |
| May 2026 | 177 |
| April 2026 | 186 |
| March 2026 | 215 |
| February 2026 | 180 |
| January 2026 | 167 |
| December 2025 | 154 |
| November 2025 | 166 |
| October 2025 | 130 |
| September 2025 | 168 |
Compared with England and Wales, Retford recorded notably more other crime (89% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (52% below) and burglary (49% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 75 to 101 and other theft rose from 111 to 136, while burglary fell from 99 to 46 and vehicle crime fell from 112 to 78.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 864 | 34.2 | 34.2 | +21% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 323 | 12.8 | 15.4 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 243 | 9.6 | 8.5 | +15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 193 | 7.6 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Other theft | 136 | 5.4 | 6.4 | +23% |
| Public order | 108 | 4.3 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Other crime | 101 | 4.0 | 2.1 | +35% |
| Vehicle crime | 78 | 3.1 | 5.0 | -30% |
| Burglary | 46 | 1.8 | 3.6 | -54% |
| Drugs | 40 | 1.6 | 3.3 | -2% |
| Possession of weapons | 24 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0% |
| Robbery | 20 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 15 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 14 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Retford; the highest is Gainsborough (175.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Edwinstowe (43.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Retford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worksop | 5,547 | 124.8 | +43% |
| Carlton in Lindrick | 477 | 74.8 | -14% |
| New Ollerton and Ollerton | 1,002 | 84.1 | -4% |
| Harworth and Bircotes | 728 | 95.9 | +10% |
| Gainsborough | 4,010 | 175.4 | +101% |
| Edwinstowe | 253 | 43.1 | -51% |
| Tickhill | 261 | 49.8 | -43% |
| North Anston | 498 | 81.5 | -7% |
Of the 4 areas within Retford, East Retford West had the highest crime rate (116.8 per 1,000) and East Retford South the lowest (69.4).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Retford West | Neighbourhood | 5,418 | 633 | 116.8 |
| East Retford East | Neighbourhood | 7,520 | 679 | 90.3 |
| East Retford North | Neighbourhood | 6,917 | 518 | 74.9 |
| East Retford South | Neighbourhood | 5,406 | 375 | 69.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Retford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (94).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 94 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 77 |
| On or near Churchgate | 73 |
| On or near Supermarket | 57 |
| On or near Water Lane | 56 |
| On or near Cannon Square | 51 |
| On or near North Road | 50 |
| On or near Elizabethan Gardens | 42 |
| On or near Carolgate | 40 |
| On or near Town Hall Yard | 38 |
Of the 1,882 crimes in Retford with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 323 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 804 | 42.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 554 | 29.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 206 | 10.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 99 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 58 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 54 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 35 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 34 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 21 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Retford has an estimated population of 25,261 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.4%, against 7.9%), more retired residents (27%, against 22%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Retford average decile 5.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Retford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Retford a safe place to live?
Retford recorded 87.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 509th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Retford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 864 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (323).
Is crime in Retford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Retford was up 10% on the year before: 2,205 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,010 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Retford?
About 25,261 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Retford?
Retford is policed by Nottinghamshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.