Crime in St Albans: statistics, rates and trends
6,326 crimes were recorded in St Albans in the 12 months to July 2026, 86.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in St Albans at a glance
- Crime trends in St Albans
- Types of crime in St Albans
- St Albans compared with nearby towns
- Areas within St Albans
- Streets with the most crime in St Albans
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Albans
- Population and deprivation in St Albans
- Questions about crime in St Albans
- About this data
6,326 crimes were recorded in St Albans in the 12 months to July 2026, 86.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 3% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 1,782 reports (28% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, St Albans has the 524th highest crime rate.
| Measure | St Albans | St Albans | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 6,326 | 11,959 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 86.3 | 79.2 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 73,283 | 151,012 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in St Albans was highest in the year to July 2018 (6,694 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2022 (5,478). Over the whole period it fell 5%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 6,326 | 86.3 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 6,499 | 88.7 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 5,607 | 76.5 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 5,773 | 78.8 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 5,478 | 74.8 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 5,720 | 78.1 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 5,751 | 78.5 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 6,380 | 87.1 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 6,694 | 91.3 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 547 |
| June 2026 | 521 |
| May 2026 | 550 |
| April 2026 | 498 |
| March 2026 | 459 |
| February 2026 | 494 |
| January 2026 | 544 |
| December 2025 | 509 |
| November 2025 | 502 |
| October 2025 | 552 |
| September 2025 | 510 |
| August 2025 | 640 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in St Albans over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for shoplifting, vehicle crime, bicycle theft.
The largest increases were in drugs (+71%) and other crime (+15%). The largest falls were in robbery (-38%) and shoplifting (-23%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,782 | 24.3 | 0.71 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,240 | 16.9 | 1.10 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 784 | 10.7 | 1.29 | -23% |
| Other theft | 534 | 7.3 | 1.14 | +2% |
| Vehicle crime | 496 | 6.8 | 1.37 | +15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 415 | 5.7 | 0.84 | -1% |
| Public order | 273 | 3.7 | 0.56 | -7% |
| Burglary | 241 | 3.3 | 0.93 | +4% |
| Drugs | 215 | 2.9 | 0.90 | +71% |
| Other crime | 112 | 1.5 | 0.72 | +15% |
| Bicycle theft | 83 | 1.1 | 1.38 | +1% |
| Theft from the person | 54 | 0.7 | 0.44 | +12% |
| Robbery | 50 | 0.7 | 0.51 | -38% |
| Possession of weapons | 47 | 0.6 | 0.66 | +12% |
Violence and sexual offences in St Albans
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. St Albans recorded 1,782 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (24.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 1% on the year before. It made up 28.2% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in St Albans
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. St Albans recorded 1,240 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (16.9 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 4% on the year before. It made up 19.6% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in St Albans
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. St Albans recorded 784 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (10.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 12.4% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in St Albans
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. St Albans recorded 534 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.3 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 2% on the year before. It made up 8.4% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in St Albans
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. St Albans recorded 496 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and up 15% on the year before. It made up 7.8% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in St Albans
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. St Albans recorded 415 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 1% on the year before. It made up 6.6% of all crime in the area.
Public order in St Albans
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. St Albans recorded 273 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 4.3% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in St Albans
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. St Albans recorded 241 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.3 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and up 4% on the year before. It made up 3.8% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in St Albans
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. St Albans recorded 215 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.9 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 71% on the year before. It made up 3.4% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in St Albans
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. St Albans recorded 112 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 15% on the year before. It made up 1.8% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in St Albans
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. St Albans recorded 83 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 1% on the year before. It made up 1.3% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in St Albans
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. St Albans recorded 54 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 12% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in St Albans
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. St Albans recorded 50 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 38% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in St Albans
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. St Albans recorded 47 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 12% on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to St Albans, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to St Albans.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Colney | 1,233 | 146.7 | +70% |
| Chiswell Green | 270 | 45.1 | -48% |
| Bricket Wood | 307 | 57.6 | -33% |
| Hatfield | 5,469 | 126.7 | +47% |
| Harpenden | 1,123 | 38.9 | -55% |
| Radlett | 470 | 57.6 | -33% |
| Abbots Langley and Kings Langley | 1,082 | 65.3 | -24% |
| Hemel Hempstead | 10,245 | 102.0 | +18% |
10 areas within St Albans, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. St Peters had the highest rate (181.0 per 1,000) and Marshalswick East & Jersey Farm the lowest (47.4). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Peters | Neighbourhood | 9,338 | 1,690 | 181.0 |
| Sopwell | Neighbourhood | 7,838 | 912 | 116.4 |
| Cunningham | Neighbourhood | 8,670 | 917 | 105.8 |
| Bernards Heath | Neighbourhood | 8,399 | 636 | 75.7 |
| Verulam | Neighbourhood | 7,224 | 543 | 75.2 |
| Batchwood | Neighbourhood | 7,732 | 524 | 67.8 |
| Hill End | Neighbourhood | 6,565 | 403 | 61.4 |
| Marshalswick West | Neighbourhood | 3,528 | 203 | 57.5 |
| Clarence | Neighbourhood | 8,082 | 442 | 54.7 |
| Marshalswick East & Jersey Farm | Neighbourhood | 9,362 | 444 | 47.4 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in St Albans over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 374 |
| On or near Supermarket | 374 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 352 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 222 |
| On or near Spencer Street | 99 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 98 |
| On or near Drovers Way | 87 |
| On or near Nightclub | 82 |
| On or near Stonecross Close | 74 |
| On or near Twyford Road | 72 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in St Albans over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,254 | 35.6% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,405 | 22.2% |
| Not recorded | 1,240 | 19.6% |
| Under investigation | 453 | 7.2% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 278 | 4.4% |
| Local resolution | 246 | 3.9% |
| Status update unavailable | 179 | 2.8% |
| Court result unavailable | 113 | 1.8% |
| Offender given a caution | 62 | 1.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 58 | 0.9% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 28 | 0.4% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.1% |
St Albans has an estimated population of 73,283. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in St Albans sits in decile 8.3, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | St Albans |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.4% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 63.5% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.1% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.2% |
| Social rented homes | 13.8% |
| Private rented homes | 18.9% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.3 |
Is St Albans a safe place to live?
St Albans recorded 86.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in St Albans?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,782 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,240).
Is crime in St Albans going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Albans was down 3% on the year before: 6,326 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 6,499 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers St Albans?
St Albans is policed by Hertfordshire. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to St Albans. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.