Cambridge is the most dangerous major towns in Cambridgeshire, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Cambridgeshire's 262 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Cambridge in 2021 was 84 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Cambridgeshire's overall crime rate, coming in 13% higher than the Cambridgeshire rate of 73 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Cambridge is the 51st safest major town, and the 965th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2021, Cambridge had the worst crime rate in Cambridgeshire for bicycle theft, with 79 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.53 per 1,000 inhabitants. November 2021 was also a bad month for Cambridge residents, when it was Cambridgeshire's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 65 crimes at a rate of 0.44 per 1,000 residents. Cambridge recorded 36 reports of drugs during December 2021, making its crime rate of 0.24 the worst for drugs in Cambridgeshire that month.
The most common crimes in Cambridge are violence and sexual offences, with 4,431 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 30. This is 3.7% higher than 2020's figure of 4,265 offences and a difference of 1.12 from 2020's crime rate of 29. Cambridge's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 128 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 3.9% from 2020's figure of 133 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Major Towns, Cambridgeshire
16% higher, regional crime rate
East of England
9% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Cambridge is 16% higher than the East of England and 9% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Cambridge | |
| East of England | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Cambridge represent the time frame between May 2019 and April 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 84 | 12,445 |
| 2020 | 86 | 12,749 |
| 2019 | 102 | 15,157 |
| 2018 | 94 | 14,037 |
| 2017 | 97 | 14,370 |
| 2016 | 79 | 11,809 |
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| Cambridge | Cambridgeshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,864 | 19.24 | 14,130 | 16.52 | 14% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,541 | 10.35 | 2,670 | 3.12 | 70% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 502 | 3.37 | 2,960 | 3.46 | 2.7% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,150 | 7.73 | 6,502 | 7.60 | 1.7% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 422 | 2.83 | 1,927 | 2.25 | 20% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 247 | 1.66 | 1,587 | 1.86 | 12% safer |
| Other Theft | 866 | 5.82 | 4,916 | 5.75 | 1.2% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 128 | 0.86 | 667 | 0.78 | 9% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,466 | 9.85 | 6,992 | 8.17 | 17% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 159 | 1.07 | 589 | 0.69 | 36% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 711 | 4.78 | 2,793 | 3.26 | 32% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 223 | 1.50 | 567 | 0.66 | 56% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 599 | 4.02 | 3,910 | 4.57 | 14% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 4,431 | 29.77 | 26,213 | 30.64 | 2.9% safer |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Castle Park | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Panton Street | Action to be taken by another organisation |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Corona Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Francis Darwin Court | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Warkworth Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Monkswell | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Bradmore Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Scarsdale Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Cockburn Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ditton Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Mortimer Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Green Park | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Drosier Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Norton Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Malta Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Bishop'S Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Parking Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Robbery | On or near Croft Holme Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Bayford Place | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Manor Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 24 | 24 | 22 | 19 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 18 | 17 | 13 | 10 | Safer |
| Burglary | 7 | 6 | 3.9 | 3.4 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 2.8 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 10 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.75 | 0.95 | 0.89 | 0.86 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.86 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 2.4 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 1.5 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4.0 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 23 | 27 | 29 | 30 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Cambridge that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Cemetery | 4 | - | 1 | - | 3 | 5 | 1.7 |
| Coldham's Common | 30 | - | 6 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 1.1 |
| Coleridge Recreation Ground | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.59 |
| King George V Memorial Playing Field | 6 | - | 3 | - | 5 | 6 | 5.0 |
| Midsummer Common | - | - | - | 1 | - | 0 | 0.07 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 25% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 1.4% safer |
| Cambridge | 83.60 | - |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 7% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 8% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 18% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 25% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 32% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 36% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 37% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 45% more dangerous |
Central & West Cambridge is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Cambridge, followed by Petersfield in second place, and East Barnwell & Abbey as the third most dangerous area. Cambridge's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Addenbrooke's & Queen Edith's, Cherry Hinton, and Romsey.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addenbrooke's & Queen Edith's | 673 | 73 | Tenth |
| Arbury | 636 | 74 | Ninth |
| Central & West Cambridge | 2,771 | 183 | First |
| Cherry Hinton | 501 | 62 | 12th |
| Coleridge | 762 | 85 | Eighth |
| East Barnwell & Abbey | 1,037 | 116 | Third |
| East Chesterton | 955 | 108 | Sixth |
| Kings Hedges | 936 | 113 | Fourth |
| Petersfield | 997 | 118 | Second |
| Romsey | 618 | 73 | 11th |
| Trumpington | 1,565 | 110 | Fifth |
| West Chesterton | 741 | 94 | Seventh |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Cambridge for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Addenbrooke's & Queen Edith's (129) | Central & West Cambridge (647) |
| Bicycle Theft | Cherry Hinton (13) | Central & West Cambridge (530) |
| Burglary | Arbury (21) | Trumpington (90) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Coleridge (54) | Central & West Cambridge (205) |
| Drugs | Cherry Hinton (13) | East Chesterton (54) |
| Other Crime | Trumpington (18) | Kings Hedges (27) |
| Other Theft | Arbury (29) | Central & West Cambridge (200) |
| Possession of Weapons | Romsey (1) | Central & West Cambridge (34) |
| Public Order | Arbury (72) | Central & West Cambridge (328) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Cherry Hinton (4) | Central & West Cambridge (44) |
| Shoplifting | Addenbrooke's & Queen Edith's (2) | Central & West Cambridge (279) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Addenbrooke's & Queen Edith's (3) | Central & West Cambridge (126) |
| Vehicle Crime | Romsey (33) | East Chesterton (59) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Cherry Hinton (207) | Kings Hedges (463) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Cambridge change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in November, when Cambridge saw a 375% increase in robbery. Cambridge saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 86% compared to April in 2019. Bicycle Theft saw a fall in every month of Cambridge's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -26% | -23% | -14% | +18% | -1% | +3% | -12% | -1% | -21% | -19% |
| Bicycle Theft | -47% | -72% | -51% | -51% | -25% | -7% | -2% | +16% | -17% | -17% |
| Burglary | -38% | -78% | -56% | -30% | -59% | -48% | -37% | -33% | -18% | -17% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -11% | -38% | -41% | -37% | -12% | -3% | -16% | +2% | +8% | -49% |
| Drugs | +68% | +57% | +89% | +16% | +57% | +22% | +15% | -24% | +77% | +42% |
| Other Crime | -26% | -47% | -34% | +25% | +233% | +121% | -17% | +41% | -20% | -5% |
| Other Theft | -38% | -67% | -55% | -43% | -50% | -31% | -21% | -40% | -54% | -36% |
| Possession of Weapons | +7% | -17% | -6% | -27% | +22% | -33% | +10% | +25% | -31% | -11% |
| Public Order | +20% | -9% | +24% | -12% | +49% | +24% | +1% | - | -12% | -21% |
| Robbery | -56% | -36% | -17% | -22% | -46% | -71% | -53% | -15% | +375% | +43% |
| Shoplifting | -54% | -60% | -67% | -39% | -35% | -66% | -78% | -58% | -52% | -66% |
| Theft From the Person | -64% | -86% | -74% | -82% | -64% | -43% | -48% | -75% | -72% | -14% |
| Vehicle Crime | +24% | -30% | -46% | -31% | -27% | -32% | -46% | -43% | +14% | -7% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +4% | -13% | -1% | +10% | +28% | +20% | -8% | +4% | -5% | -15% |
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