Crime in St Neots: statistics, rates and trends
2,386 crimes were recorded in St Neots in the 12 months to August 2026, 72.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Neots at a glance
- Crime trends in St Neots
- Types of crime in St Neots
- St Neots compared with nearby towns
- Areas within St Neots
- Streets with the most crime in St Neots
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Neots
- Demographics of St Neots
- Questions about crime in St Neots
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (906), anti-social behaviour (443) and criminal damage and arson (198) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 735th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | St Neots | Huntingdonshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,386 | 12,946 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 72.3 | 67.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 33,021 | 190,619 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in St Neots peaked in the year to August 2018 (2,813 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (2,241). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,386 | 72.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,600 | 78.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,292 | 69.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,498 | 75.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,376 | 72.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,241 | 67.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,740 | 83.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,724 | 82.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,813 | 85.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 219 |
| July 2026 | 223 |
| June 2026 | 248 |
| May 2026 | 211 |
| April 2026 | 188 |
| March 2026 | 159 |
| February 2026 | 207 |
| January 2026 | 177 |
| December 2025 | 197 |
| November 2025 | 169 |
| October 2025 | 202 |
| September 2025 | 186 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (49% below) and other theft (47% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 57 to 92, while bicycle theft fell from 47 to 21 and possession of weapons fell from 34 to 25.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 906 | 27.4 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 443 | 13.4 | 15.4 | -18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 198 | 6.0 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Shoplifting | 142 | 4.3 | 8.5 | -24% |
| Vehicle crime | 139 | 4.2 | 5.0 | -2% |
| Public order | 129 | 3.9 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Other theft | 112 | 3.4 | 6.4 | -15% |
| Drugs | 92 | 2.8 | 3.3 | +61% |
| Burglary | 85 | 2.6 | 3.6 | -4% |
| Other crime | 72 | 2.2 | 2.1 | +1% |
| Possession of weapons | 25 | 0.8 | 1.0 | -26% |
| Bicycle theft | 21 | 0.6 | 0.8 | -55% |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 9 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than St Neots; the highest is Bedford (125.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Brampton (Huntingdonshire) (54.6).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Neots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 819 | 76.7 | +6% |
| Brampton (Huntingdonshire) | 405 | 54.6 | -24% |
| Godmanchester | 552 | 60.6 | -16% |
| Cambourne | 641 | 58.6 | -19% |
| Huntingdon | 3,271 | 123.5 | +71% |
| Biggleswade | 1,573 | 67.4 | -7% |
| Bedford | 12,865 | 125.5 | +74% |
| Shortstown | 413 | 70.1 | -3% |
Of the 4 areas within St Neots, St Neots East had the highest crime rate (86.8 per 1,000) and St Neots Priory Park & Little Paxton the lowest (45.6).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Neots East | Neighbourhood | 4,702 | 408 | 86.8 |
| St Neots Eynesbury | Neighbourhood | 12,706 | 1,066 | 83.9 |
| St Neots Eatons | Neighbourhood | 11,266 | 668 | 59.3 |
| St Neots Priory Park & Little Paxton | Neighbourhood | 9,780 | 446 | 45.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 24% of the crime recorded in St Neots over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (95).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 95 |
| On or near Nuffield Road | 81 |
| On or near Supermarket | 69 |
| On or near Harvey Street | 66 |
| On or near High Street | 60 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 57 |
| On or near Station Square | 44 |
| On or near Marshall Road | 38 |
| On or near Cromwell Gardens | 35 |
| On or near Phoenix Square | 34 |
Of the 1,943 crimes in St Neots with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 443 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 777 | 40.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 590 | 30.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 226 | 11.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 116 | 6.0% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 73 | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 64 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 35 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 30 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 24 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
St Neots has an estimated population of 33,021 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.5%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Neots average decile 7.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | St Neots | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is St Neots a safe place to live?
St Neots recorded 72.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 735th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in St Neots?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 906 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (443).
Is crime in St Neots going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Neots was down 8% on the year before: 2,386 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,600 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Neots?
About 33,021 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Neots?
St Neots 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.