Crime in Waterbeach: statistics, rates and trends
294 crimes were recorded in Waterbeach in the 12 months to August 2026, 51.3 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
- Crime in Waterbeach at a glance
- Crime trends in Waterbeach
- Types of crime in Waterbeach
- Waterbeach compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Waterbeach
- Streets with the most crime in Waterbeach
- What happened after crimes were reported in Waterbeach
- Demographics of Waterbeach
- Questions about crime in Waterbeach
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (122), anti-social behaviour (46) and criminal damage and arson (36) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,124th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Waterbeach | South Cambridgeshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 294 | 10,190 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 51.3 | 59.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +11% | -1% |
| Population | 5,734 | 172,544 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Waterbeach peaked in the year to August 2022 (298 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (217). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 294 | 51.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 281 | 49.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 217 | 37.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 218 | 38.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 298 | 52.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 254 | 44.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 230 | 40.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 250 | 43.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 232 | 40.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 18 |
| July 2026 | 36 |
| June 2026 | 35 |
| May 2026 | 28 |
| April 2026 | 27 |
| March 2026 | 14 |
| February 2026 | 28 |
| January 2026 | 17 |
| December 2025 | 19 |
| November 2025 | 18 |
| October 2025 | 23 |
| September 2025 | 31 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (48% below) and violence and sexual offences (38% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 30 to 36.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 122 | 21.3 | 34.2 | +6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 46 | 8.0 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 36 | 6.3 | 6.7 | +20% |
| Vehicle crime | 26 | 4.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other theft | 16 | 2.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 14 | 2.4 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 10 | 1.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 8 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 4 | 0.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Waterbeach; 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 Waterbeach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottenham | 477 | 65.2 | +27% |
| Histon and Impington | 631 | 79.3 | +55% |
| Cambridge (Cambridge) | 16,922 | 110.5 | +115% |
| Burwell | 325 | 50.0 | -2% |
| Longstanton and Northstowe | 633 | 83.6 | +63% |
| Bar Hill | 360 | 70.8 | +38% |
| Soham | 686 | 56.6 | +10% |
| Great Shelford and Stapleford | 225 | 33.5 | -35% |
Milton & Waterbeach is the one area listed within Waterbeach, with 86.5 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milton & Waterbeach | Neighbourhood | 11,478 | 993 | 86.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Waterbeach over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Waddelow Road” (24).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Waddelow Road | 24 |
| On or near Jubilee Close | 16 |
| On or near Abbey Place | 14 |
| On or near Cooke'S Field | 13 |
| On or near Wellington Close | 12 |
| On or near Fletcher Avenue | 10 |
| On or near Harvey Way | 10 |
| On or near Pritchard Walk | 9 |
| On or near Rookery Close | 9 |
| On or near Bannold Court | 8 |
Of the 248 crimes in Waterbeach with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 46 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 112 | 45.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 72 | 29.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 29 | 11.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 13 | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 10 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
Waterbeach has an estimated population of 5,734 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (48%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Waterbeach average decile 7.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Waterbeach | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 69.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 48.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Waterbeach a safe place to live?
Waterbeach recorded 51.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,124th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Waterbeach?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 122 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (46).
Is crime in Waterbeach going up or down?
Recorded crime in Waterbeach was up 5% on the year before: 294 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 281 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Waterbeach?
About 5,734 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Waterbeach?
Waterbeach 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.