High Wycombe Crime Overview
High Wycombe is the safest major town in Buckinghamshire, and is the 28th most dangerous overall out of Buckinghamshire's 220 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in High Wycombe in 2020 was 62 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Buckinghamshire's overall crime rate, coming in 2.9% lower than the Buckinghamshire rate of 64 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, High Wycombe is the 24th safest major town, and the 1,908th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In September 2020, High Wycombe had the worst crime rate in Buckinghamshire for burglary, with 28 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.26 per 1,000 inhabitants. July 2020 was also a bad month for High Wycombe residents, when it was Buckinghamshire's most dangerous area for criminal damage and arson, recording 72 crimes at a rate of 0.68 per 1,000 residents. High Wycombe recorded 29 reports of drugs during October 2020, making its crime rate of 0.27 the worst for drugs in Buckinghamshire that month.
The most common crimes in High Wycombe are violence and sexual offences, with 2,723 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 26. This is 12% higher than 2019's figure of 2,403 offences and a difference of 3.02 from 2019's crime rate of 23. High Wycombe's least common crime is robbery, with 53 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 36% from 2019's figure of 72 crimes.
Compare High Wycombe to other towns and cities
See how High Wycombe shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how High Wycombe and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
High Wycombe Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in High Wycombe This Year
| High Wycombe | Buckinghamshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,172 | 11.04 | 7,912 | 9.73 | 12% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 65 | 0.61 | 843 | 1.04 | 70% safer |
| Burglary | 270 | 2.54 | 2,728 | 3.35 | 32% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 654 | 6.16 | 5,583 | 6.86 | 11% safer |
| Drugs | 320 | 3.01 | 2,110 | 2.59 | 14% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 130 | 1.22 | 1,297 | 1.59 | 30% safer |
| Other Theft | 751 | 7.07 | 4,529 | 5.57 | 21% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 87 | 0.82 | 575 | 0.71 | 13% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 523 | 4.93 | 4,031 | 4.96 | 0.61% safer |
| Robbery | 53 | 0.50 | 430 | 0.53 | 6% safer |
| Shoplifting | 308 | 2.90 | 2,302 | 2.83 | 2.4% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 140 | 1.32 | 771 | 0.95 | 28% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 587 | 5.53 | 5,258 | 6.46 | 17% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 2,723 | 25.65 | 21,682 | 26.65 | 3.9% safer |
Crime in High Wycombe Compared To Buckinghamshire
High Wycombe Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Wycombe | 6,611 | 62.27 | - |
| Aylesbury | 4,943 | 66.81 | 7% more dangerous |
High Wycombe Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 14 | 12 | 13 | 11 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.63 | 0.63 | 0.89 | 0.61 | Safer |
| Burglary | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.68 | 0.76 | 0.97 | 0.82 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 1.8 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 4.9 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.57 | 0.55 | 0.68 | 0.50 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 7 | 4.6 | 2.9 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | Getting worse |
| Vehicle Crime | 4.8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 14 | 20 | 23 | 26 | Getting worse |
Changes In High Wycombe's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing High Wycombe to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| High Wycombe | 62.27 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 8% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 20% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 25% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 27% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 28% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 36% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 39% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 42% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 53% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 55% more dangerous |
Crime in High Wycombe's Neighbourhoods
Town Centre & Marlow Hill is the most dangerous neighbourhood in High Wycombe, followed by Oakridge & Castlefield in second place, and Sands as the third most dangerous area. High Wycombe's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Bowerdean, Terriers & Amersham Hill, and Totteridge.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowerdean | 313 | 45 | Sixth |
| Oakridge & Castlefield | 944 | 97 | Second |
| Ryemead & Wycombe Marsh | 625 | 65 | Fourth |
| Sands | 498 | 72 | Third |
| Terriers & Amersham Hill | 476 | 57 | Fifth |
| Totteridge | 289 | 42 | Seventh |
| Town Centre & Marlow Hill | 1,655 | 140 | First |
High Wycombe Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of High Wycombe for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Bowerdean (57) | Oakridge & Castlefield (199) |
| Bicycle Theft | Totteridge (2) | Ryemead & Wycombe Marsh (15) |
| Burglary | Bowerdean (15) | Sands (42) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Bowerdean (36) | Oakridge & Castlefield (111) |
| Drugs | Totteridge (16) | Oakridge & Castlefield (67) |
| Other Crime | Bowerdean (8) | Town Centre & Marlow Hill (31) |
| Other Theft | Totteridge (15) | Town Centre & Marlow Hill (152) |
| Possession of Weapons | Totteridge (2) | Town Centre & Marlow Hill (24) |
| Public Order | Totteridge (18) | Town Centre & Marlow Hill (159) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Bowerdean (1) | Town Centre & Marlow Hill (17) |
| Shoplifting | Terriers & Amersham Hill (1) | Town Centre & Marlow Hill (176) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Totteridge (4) | Town Centre & Marlow Hill (75) |
| Vehicle Crime | Bowerdean (21) | Town Centre & Marlow Hill (122) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Totteridge (146) | Town Centre & Marlow Hill (649) |
Crime in High Wycombe During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in High Wycombe change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in July, when High Wycombe saw a 600% increase in possession of weapons. High Wycombe saw a large fall in bicycle theft during November, when it fell by 91% compared to November in 2019. Rates of anti-social behaviour and other theft both fell year-on-year for every month during High Wycombe's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -18% | -15% | -27% | -30% | -25% | -19% | -27% | -9% | -2% | +83% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | +38% | +100% | +14% | -38% | - | -55% | -91% | -80% |
| Burglary | -6% | -13% | -16% | -25% | +22% | -13% | +4% | -43% | -79% | -76% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +37% | -54% | +8% | -23% | +11% | -17% | -5% | -10% | -12% | -33% |
| Drugs | +106% | -19% | -13% | +33% | -4% | +17% | +48% | -9% | -4% | -3% |
| Other Crime | -13% | +20% | -56% | +44% | -6% | +67% | +86% | -18% | +56% | -17% |
| Other Theft | +2% | -47% | -30% | -20% | -36% | -30% | -12% | -21% | -15% | -25% |
| Possession of Weapons | +50% | +40% | -44% | - | +600% | -38% | -54% | -43% | -55% | -43% |
| Public Order | +48% | -17% | -10% | +14% | +41% | +48% | +20% | +69% | +122% | +24% |
| Robbery | -73% | +200% | -60% | +20% | +400% | -63% | -40% | -57% | - | - |
| Shoplifting | -61% | -76% | -75% | -64% | -23% | -14% | -33% | +2% | +4% | -25% |
| Theft From the Person | +9% | -10% | -50% | +17% | +88% | -17% | +129% | -20% | +60% | -6% |
| Vehicle Crime | -17% | -44% | -19% | -48% | -44% | -8% | +34% | -18% | +24% | -51% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +7% | +11% | +10% | +9% | +8% | +13% | +11% | +5% | +27% | +13% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in High Wycombe
What police force serves High Wycombe?
High Wycombe's local territorial police force is the Thames Valley Police.How dangerous is High Wycombe?
High Wycombe is the safest major town in Buckinghamshire.What is High Wycombe's most common crime?
The most common crimes in High Wycombe are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in High Wycombe?
High Wycombe's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021