Crime in Sawston: statistics, rates and trends
312 crimes were recorded in Sawston in the 12 months to August 2026, 41.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (138), anti-social behaviour (53) and criminal damage and arson (32) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,268th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Sawston | South Cambridgeshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 312 | 10,190 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 41.6 | 59.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +11% | -1% |
| Population | 7,500 | 172,544 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Sawston peaked in the year to August 2023 (398 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (259). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 6%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 312 | 41.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 298 | 39.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 351 | 46.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 398 | 53.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 338 | 45.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 323 | 43.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 320 | 42.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 259 | 34.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 295 | 39.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 23 |
| July 2026 | 19 |
| June 2026 | 25 |
| May 2026 | 34 |
| April 2026 | 23 |
| March 2026 | 17 |
| February 2026 | 16 |
| January 2026 | 25 |
| December 2025 | 24 |
| November 2025 | 39 |
| October 2025 | 45 |
| September 2025 | 22 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (54% below) and violence and sexual offences (46% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 25 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 138 | 18.4 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 53 | 7.1 | 15.4 | -10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 32 | 4.3 | 6.7 | +28% |
| Burglary | 14 | 1.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Public order | 14 | 1.9 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 14 | 1.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 12 | 1.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other theft | 12 | 1.6 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 2 | 0.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Sawston; the highest is Cambridge (Cambridge) (110.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Great Shelford and Stapleford (33.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Sawston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Shelford and Stapleford | 225 | 33.5 | -19% |
| Cambridge (Cambridge) | 16,922 | 110.5 | +166% |
| Saffron Walden | 708 | 45.0 | +8% |
| Histon and Impington | 631 | 79.3 | +91% |
| Royston (North Hertfordshire) | 854 | 53.1 | +28% |
| Waterbeach | 294 | 51.3 | +23% |
| Bar Hill | 360 | 70.8 | +70% |
| Haverhill | 1,983 | 72.0 | +73% |
Sawston is the one area listed within Sawston, with 41.6 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sawston | Neighbourhood | 7,500 | 312 | 41.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Sawston over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “New Road” (20).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near New Road | 20 |
| On or near Selsingen Way | 16 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 16 |
| On or near North Terrace | 14 |
| On or near Stanley Webb Close | 14 |
| On or near Lynton Way | 13 |
| On or near The Green Road | 13 |
| On or near Plantation Road | 11 |
| On or near Henry Morris Road | 10 |
| On or near John'S Acre | 10 |
Of the 259 crimes in Sawston with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 53 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 132 | 51.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 68 | 26.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 24 | 9.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8 | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 2.3% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.4% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Sawston has an estimated population of 7,500 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.4%, against 7.9%), less private renting (11%, against 20%) and fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Sawston average decile 8.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Sawston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 39.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Sawston a safe place to live?
Sawston recorded 41.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,268th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Sawston?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 138 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (53).
Is crime in Sawston going up or down?
Recorded crime in Sawston was up 5% on the year before: 312 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 298 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Sawston?
About 7,500 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Sawston?
Sawston is policed by Cambridgeshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.