Crime in Sleaford: statistics, rates and trends
1,353 crimes were recorded in Sleaford in the 12 months to August 2026, 78.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Sleaford at a glance
- Crime trends in Sleaford
- Types of crime in Sleaford
- Sleaford compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Sleaford
- Streets with the most crime in Sleaford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Sleaford
- Demographics of Sleaford
- Questions about crime in Sleaford
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (497), anti-social behaviour (281) and shoplifting (180) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 634th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Sleaford | North Kesteven | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,353 | 6,716 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 78.9 | 54.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 17,151 | 122,468 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Sleaford peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,536 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,109). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,353 | 78.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,415 | 82.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,428 | 83.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,346 | 78.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,434 | 83.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,293 | 75.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,406 | 82.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,536 | 89.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,109 | 64.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 138 |
| July 2026 | 134 |
| June 2026 | 110 |
| May 2026 | 101 |
| April 2026 | 126 |
| March 2026 | 108 |
| February 2026 | 105 |
| January 2026 | 103 |
| December 2025 | 106 |
| November 2025 | 104 |
| October 2025 | 126 |
| September 2025 | 92 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (77% below) and burglary (54% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 49 to 57 and public order rose from 98 to 113, while vehicle crime fell from 30 to 20 and other crime fell from 49 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 497 | 29.0 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 281 | 16.4 | 15.4 | -14% |
| Shoplifting | 180 | 10.5 | 8.5 | +11% |
| Public order | 113 | 6.6 | 6.7 | +15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 80 | 4.7 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Other theft | 57 | 3.3 | 6.4 | +16% |
| Other crime | 37 | 2.2 | 2.1 | -24% |
| Burglary | 28 | 1.6 | 3.6 | -12% |
| Drugs | 26 | 1.5 | 3.3 | -24% |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 1.2 | 5.0 | -33% |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 10 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Sleaford; the highest is Grantham (114.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Washingborough and Heighington (35.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Sleaford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruskington | 297 | 51.9 | -34% |
| Grantham | 5,191 | 114.8 | +46% |
| Coningsby and Tattershall | 604 | 77.8 | -1% |
| Waddington (North Kesteven) | 317 | 41.4 | -48% |
| Bracebridge Heath | 280 | 48.2 | -39% |
| North Hykeham | 934 | 60.1 | -24% |
| Washingborough and Heighington | 259 | 35.1 | -56% |
| Kirton (Boston) | 464 | 79.5 | +1% |
Of the 5 areas within Sleaford, Sleaford Westholme had the highest crime rate (154.3 per 1,000) and Sleaford Quarrington & Mareham the lowest (51.7).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sleaford Westholme | Neighbourhood | 2,780 | 429 | 154.3 |
| Sleaford Castle | Neighbourhood | 3,340 | 502 | 150.3 |
| Sleaford Navigation | Neighbourhood | 2,164 | 258 | 119.2 |
| Sleaford Holdingham | Neighbourhood | 4,000 | 289 | 72.2 |
| Sleaford Quarrington & Mareham | Neighbourhood | 8,492 | 439 | 51.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in Sleaford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (181).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 181 |
| On or near Parking Area | 73 |
| On or near Stump Cross Hill | 47 |
| On or near Lollipop Lane | 40 |
| On or near Nightclub | 40 |
| On or near Church Lane | 38 |
| On or near North Road | 37 |
| On or near Furlong Way | 32 |
| On or near Hussey Close | 29 |
| On or near Ashfield Road | 28 |
Of the 1,072 crimes in Sleaford with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 281 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 441 | 41.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 313 | 29.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 118 | 11.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 60 | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 37 | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 33 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 23 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 1.9% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
Sleaford has an estimated population of 17,151 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%), fewer students (5.8%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Sleaford average decile 6.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Sleaford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Sleaford a safe place to live?
Sleaford recorded 78.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 634th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Sleaford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 497 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (281).
Is crime in Sleaford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Sleaford was down 4% on the year before: 1,353 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,415 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Sleaford?
About 17,151 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Sleaford?
Sleaford is policed by Lincolnshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.