Crime in Watton: statistics, rates and trends
764 crimes were recorded in Watton in the 12 months to August 2026, 57.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (403), anti-social behaviour (92) and public order (56) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,008th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Watton | Breckland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 764 | 8,523 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 57.4 | 58.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 13,301 | 146,620 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Watton peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,078 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (713). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 764 | 57.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 713 | 53.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 853 | 64.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 827 | 62.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 869 | 65.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,007 | 75.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,078 | 81.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 997 | 75.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 985 | 74.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 52 |
| July 2026 | 70 |
| June 2026 | 66 |
| May 2026 | 70 |
| April 2026 | 49 |
| March 2026 | 59 |
| February 2026 | 38 |
| January 2026 | 71 |
| December 2025 | 98 |
| November 2025 | 58 |
| October 2025 | 83 |
| September 2025 | 50 |
Compared with England and Wales, Watton recorded notably more other crime (64% above the national rate), and notably less other theft (58% below) and anti-social behaviour (55% below). On the year before, public order rose from 41 to 56 and drugs rose from 20 to 25, while criminal damage and arson fell from 65 to 45.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 403 | 30.3 | 34.2 | +9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 92 | 6.9 | 15.4 | +14% |
| Public order | 56 | 4.2 | 6.7 | +37% |
| Other crime | 46 | 3.5 | 2.1 | -2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 45 | 3.4 | 6.7 | -31% |
| Other theft | 36 | 2.7 | 6.4 | +6% |
| Drugs | 25 | 1.9 | 3.3 | +25% |
| Burglary | 17 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 17 | 1.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 12 | 0.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Watton; the highest is Thetford (95.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Attleborough (53.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Watton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swaffham | 597 | 78.7 | +37% |
| Attleborough | 603 | 53.3 | -7% |
| Dereham | 1,704 | 79.1 | +38% |
| Thetford | 2,414 | 95.4 | +66% |
| Wymondham (South Norfolk) | 1,340 | 73.6 | +28% |
| Brandon (West Suffolk) | 629 | 64.4 | +12% |
| Hethersett | 445 | 55.4 | -4% |
| Cringleford | 350 | 58.8 | +2% |
Of the 2 areas within Watton, Saham Toney had the highest crime rate (53.7 per 1,000) and Watton the lowest (48.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saham Toney | Neighbourhood | 6,068 | 326 | 53.7 |
| Watton | Neighbourhood | 9,544 | 460 | 48.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Watton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (169).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 169 |
| On or near Anson Way | 30 |
| On or near Eastern Road | 23 |
| On or near Middle Street | 23 |
| On or near Beechwood Avenue | 19 |
| On or near Liberator Close | 19 |
| On or near Gregor Shanks Way | 18 |
| On or near Vincent Place | 15 |
| On or near Dale Close | 13 |
| On or near Fortress Road | 13 |
Of the 672 crimes in Watton with a recorded outcome, 15% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 92 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 340 | 50.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 99 | 14.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 71 | 10.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 45 | 6.7% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 33 | 4.9% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 27 | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 24 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 23 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Watton has an estimated population of 13,301 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (3.4%, against 7.9%), more residents with no qualifications (27%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (19%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Watton average decile 4.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Watton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.4% | 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 | 14.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Watton a safe place to live?
Watton recorded 57.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,008th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Watton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 403 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (92).
Is crime in Watton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Watton was up 7% on the year before: 764 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 713 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Watton?
About 13,301 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Watton?
Watton 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.