Crime in Thetford: statistics, rates and trends
2,414 crimes were recorded in Thetford in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Thetford at a glance
- Crime trends in Thetford
- Types of crime in Thetford
- Thetford compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Thetford
- Streets with the most crime in Thetford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Thetford
- Demographics of Thetford
- Questions about crime in Thetford
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,000), anti-social behaviour (384) and criminal damage and arson (240) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 410th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Thetford | Breckland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,414 | 8,523 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.4 | 58.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 25,296 | 146,620 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Thetford of any year here (2,414 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,414 | 95.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,542 | 100.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,825 | 111.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,845 | 112.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,335 | 131.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,263 | 129.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,958 | 116.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,978 | 117.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,914 | 115.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 239 |
| July 2026 | 268 |
| June 2026 | 233 |
| May 2026 | 171 |
| April 2026 | 229 |
| March 2026 | 198 |
| February 2026 | 169 |
| January 2026 | 162 |
| December 2025 | 159 |
| November 2025 | 185 |
| October 2025 | 204 |
| September 2025 | 197 |
Compared with England and Wales, Thetford recorded notably more other crime (70% above the national rate), criminal damage and arson (41% above the national rate) and bicycle theft (34% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (55% below) and other theft (37% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 33 to 59 and other crime rose from 79 to 91, while possession of weapons fell from 51 to 30 and vehicle crime fell from 84 to 56.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,000 | 39.5 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 384 | 15.2 | 15.4 | -10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 240 | 9.5 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Shoplifting | 163 | 6.4 | 8.5 | +5% |
| Public order | 161 | 6.4 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Other theft | 102 | 4.0 | 6.4 | -24% |
| Other crime | 91 | 3.6 | 2.1 | +15% |
| Drugs | 90 | 3.6 | 3.3 | -2% |
| Burglary | 59 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +79% |
| Vehicle crime | 56 | 2.2 | 5.0 | -33% |
| Possession of weapons | 30 | 1.2 | 1.0 | -41% |
| Bicycle theft | 28 | 1.1 | 0.8 | -15% |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Thetford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon (West Suffolk) | 629 | 64.4 | -33% |
| Lakenheath | 242 | 47.8 | -50% |
| Mildenhall (West Suffolk) | 733 | 80.5 | -16% |
| Watton | 764 | 57.4 | -40% |
| Beck Row | 233 | 45.3 | -53% |
| Bury St Edmunds | 3,471 | 78.5 | -18% |
| Attleborough | 603 | 53.3 | -44% |
| Red Lodge | 299 | 42.0 | -56% |
Of the 4 areas within Thetford, Thetford Priory had the highest crime rate (110.7 per 1,000) and Thetford Boudica the lowest (51.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thetford Priory | Neighbourhood | 7,833 | 867 | 110.7 |
| Thetford Castle | Neighbourhood | 6,458 | 667 | 103.3 |
| Thetford Burrell | Neighbourhood | 6,475 | 648 | 100.1 |
| Thetford Boudica | Neighbourhood | 4,530 | 232 | 51.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Thetford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (228).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 228 |
| On or near Stapleford Way | 135 |
| On or near Well Street | 63 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 61 |
| On or near Ely Way | 57 |
| On or near Guildford Way | 55 |
| On or near St Martin'S Way | 44 |
| On or near King Street | 42 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 41 |
| On or near Hereford Close | 36 |
Of the 2,030 crimes in Thetford with a recorded outcome, 22% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 384 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 909 | 44.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 443 | 21.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 238 | 11.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 141 | 6.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 92 | 4.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 64 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 48 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 43 | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 29 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 14 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 3 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Thetford has an estimated population of 25,296 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (19%, against 34%) and fewer students (4.9%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Thetford average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Thetford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 18.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 26.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 52.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 8.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Thetford a safe place to live?
Thetford recorded 95.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 410th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Thetford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,000 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (384).
Is crime in Thetford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Thetford was down 5% on the year before: 2,414 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,542 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Thetford?
About 25,296 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Thetford?
Thetford is policed by Norfolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.