Crime in Woodley: statistics, rates and trends
1,132 crimes were recorded in Woodley in the 12 months to August 2026, 41.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (485), anti-social behaviour (133) and shoplifting (96) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,272nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Woodley | Wokingham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,132 | 8,438 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 41.4 | 45.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 27,358 | 187,200 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Woodley peaked in the year to August 2023 (1,257 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,029). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,132 | 41.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,203 | 44.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,235 | 45.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,257 | 45.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,241 | 45.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,129 | 41.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,142 | 41.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,050 | 38.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,029 | 37.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 91 |
| July 2026 | 154 |
| June 2026 | 133 |
| May 2026 | 99 |
| April 2026 | 98 |
| March 2026 | 99 |
| February 2026 | 65 |
| January 2026 | 70 |
| December 2025 | 59 |
| November 2025 | 79 |
| October 2025 | 80 |
| September 2025 | 105 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and burglary (69% below) and vehicle crime (69% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 32 to 42 and drugs rose from 25 to 32, while shoplifting fell from 159 to 96.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 485 | 17.7 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 133 | 4.9 | 15.4 | -8% |
| Shoplifting | 96 | 3.5 | 8.5 | -40% |
| Public order | 93 | 3.4 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 84 | 3.1 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 80 | 2.9 | 6.4 | +21% |
| Vehicle crime | 42 | 1.5 | 5.0 | +31% |
| Drugs | 32 | 1.2 | 3.3 | +28% |
| Other crime | 31 | 1.1 | 2.1 | +19% |
| Burglary | 30 | 1.1 | 3.6 | +11% |
| Bicycle theft | 14 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Woodley; the highest is Reading (102.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Wokingham (39.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Woodley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winnersh | 570 | 49.6 | +20% |
| Twyford (Wokingham) | 413 | 46.3 | +12% |
| Caversham | 1,754 | 53.4 | +29% |
| Reading | 21,930 | 102.7 | +148% |
| Shinfield | 353 | 51.8 | +25% |
| Wokingham | 2,115 | 39.9 | -4% |
| Spencers Wood and Three Mile Cross | 439 | 40.1 | -3% |
| Henley-on-Thames | 758 | 61.0 | +47% |
Of the 3 areas within Woodley, South Lake had the highest crime rate (52.7 per 1,000) and Loddon the lowest (25.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Lake | Neighbourhood | 11,144 | 587 | 52.7 |
| Bulmershe & Coronation | Neighbourhood | 8,821 | 406 | 46.0 |
| Loddon | Neighbourhood | 9,617 | 245 | 25.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Woodley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (87).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 87 |
| On or near Supermarket | 73 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 63 |
| On or near Beaufield Close | 40 |
| On or near Rushbrook Road | 33 |
| On or near Drovers Way | 30 |
| On or near Hearn Road | 29 |
| On or near Shipley Close | 29 |
| On or near Martin Close | 22 |
| On or near Jasmine Square | 19 |
Of the 999 crimes in Woodley with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 133 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 359 | 35.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 286 | 28.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 174 | 17.4% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 55 | 5.5% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 44 | 4.4% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 35 | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 28 | 2.8% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Woodley has an estimated population of 27,358 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (8.3%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%) and less private renting (12%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Woodley average decile 8.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Woodley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 79.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Woodley a safe place to live?
Woodley recorded 41.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,272nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Woodley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 485 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (133).
Is crime in Woodley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Woodley was down 6% on the year before: 1,132 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,203 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Woodley?
About 27,358 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Woodley?
Woodley is policed by Thames Valley.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.