Crime and Safety in Cambridge
Last updated: 07 Jun 2026
Cambridge is the most dangerous major town in Cambridgeshire, and is the 26th most dangerous overall out of Cambridgeshire's 262 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Cambridge in 2026 is 75 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Cambridgeshire's overall crime rate, coming in 18% higher than the Cambridgeshire rate of 63 per 1,000 daytime population. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Cambridge is the 47th safest major town, and the 1,225th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2023, Cambridge had the worst crime rate in Cambridgeshire for theft from the person, with 36 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.20 per 1,000 daytime population. March 2019 was also a bad month for Cambridge residents, when it was again Cambridgeshire's most dangerous area for theft from the person, recording 45 crimes at a rate of 0.26 per 1,000 daytime population. Cambridge recorded 30 reports of theft from the person during February 2018, making its crime rate of 0.17 once more the worst for theft from the person in Cambridgeshire that month.
The most common crimes in Cambridge are violence and sexual offences, with 4,543 offences during 2026, giving a crime rate of 25. This is 0.89% higher than 2025's figure of 4,503 offences and a difference of 0.23 from 2025's crime rate of 24. Cambridge's least common crime is robbery, with 162 offences recorded in 2026, a decrease of 2.4% from 2025's figure of 166 crimes.
Cambridge 2026 Crime Scorecard
Most Dangerous
Major Towns, Cambridgeshire
21% higher, regional crime rate
East of England
3.5% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
Local Crime in Context
As of April 2026, the crime rate in Cambridge is 21% higher than the East of England and 3.5% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
Cambridge Crime Rate Over Time
| Cambridge | |
| East of England | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Cambridge Crime Map
Incidents mapped in Cambridge represent the time frame between January 2016 and April 2026. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Use Crime Map
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 visualise the data you need.
See How Cambridge Compares
You can compare Cambridge's crime statistics against any other town, village, or city from across the country. Search for a location's name below to see how they stack up.
Introduction to Cambridge's crime statistics
This crime profile provides a detailed view of crime and safety around Cambridge up to April 2026, the most recent data release available. The crime figures and statistics have been calculated across each of Cambridge's 2,954 postcodes using three area sizes for comparison:
- Within a Five-Minute Walk
- Within a Ten-Minute Walk
- Within a Fifteen-Minute Walk
Individual crime risk scores and index figures are for the 12-month period ending April 2026 unless otherwise stated.
CrimeRate Insights
Looking into a specific address in Cambridge? CrimeRate Insights reports convert raw numbers into practical insight for any location, from single addresses and postcodes, up to major towns and cities.
Crime rates don’t happen by themselves; they follow people and patterns. Where crowds gather - near pubs and late-night venues, around the station, by supermarkets and forecourts - incidents naturally concentrate.
That doesn’t mean an area is "bad"; it usually means footfall is higher.
Your report explores these factors in a calm, non-judgemental way, putting the numbers in context and helping you spot what’s typical for places like this.
Crime Risk Scores
Cambridge • 12 Months Ending April 2026
The typical five-minute walk within Cambridge has a crime risk score of 486. This is based on analysis of 2,954 nearby areas within Cambridge, with "most" referring to roughly two thirds of the nearby locations.
Crime risk scores are on a scale of 1 to 1,000 and consider the severity of the crimes involved, as determined by sentencing guidelines. A score of 1 represents the lowest risk, and 1,000 the highest risk. This approach ensures that - unlike overall crime rate figures - bicycle theft is not given the same importance in Cambridge's risk scores as, for example, robbery, or violence & sexual offences.
Within a five-minute walk of the typical location in Cambridge, crime risk scores are typically around 486, while in Cambridgeshire they are average 429.
Areas within a ten-minute walk typically see crime risk scores of 537 (418 for Cambridgeshire), and scores within a fifteen-minute walk are most often around 564 (Cambridgeshire 424).
Trends in Crime Risk
Cambridge
Calculated via Seasonal and Trend decomposition using Loess, the Seasonality Adjusted line represents the original data with seasonality subtracted, and the Trend line has been plotted unadjusted. Overall trend direction has been identified using the Mann-Kendall trend test, and rate calculated from the slope of the best-fit line identified from linear regression.
The 10-year trend indicates a decrease of 11% in Cambridge's crime risk score. This is potentially a strong signal of how the crime risk is evolving. Cross-referencing with major cultural events and Covid's impact during this time is advised.
Looking at the previous five years, the trend in Cambridge's crime risk score is down by 3.2%. While potentially a good indicator of the overall risk trend, analysis may offer further insight when combined with the checks mentioned above.
Over the last year, Cambridge's crime risk score has shown a downward trend of approximately 1.7%, indicating that the risk profile is going down. This is an extremely short time period for crime trend analysis, and caution should be exercised when interpreting this figure.
Crime Rates and Indexes
Cambridge
The CrimeRate Index shows how crime rates compare against the national average.
1.0 equals the average
2.0 is double
3.0 triple
0.5 is half and
0.25 a quarter.
Highest Crime Rates
Cambridge • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Excluding other crime and other theft because their geographic location is often not relevant, anti-social behaviour as its definition is too wide, and bicycle theft for its specificity.
Shoplifting offences have a crime rate of 13 reports per 1,000 people in Cambridge, which is 1.88 times the national average. This figure is calculated from 2,488 crime reports logged by Cambridgeshire Police during the 12-month period ending April 2026.
For the same period, Cambridgeshire Police recorded 215 reports of Possession of Weapons in Cambridge, resulting in a crime rate of 1.15 reports per 1,000, and a CrimeRate Index of 1.35.
The crime rate for Theft From the Person is 1.25 times the national average at 1.93 reports per 1,000. This is from 356 crime reports reported to Cambridgeshire Police.
Most Significant 3-Year Increases in Crime Types
Cambridge
Excluding other crime and other theft, anti-social behaviour, and bicycle theft, and calculated with the same STL method described in Trends in Crime Risk, using CrimeRate Index figures to identify crime types that are trending above or below the national average, and the analysis timeframe limited to the last three years.
Possession of Weapons offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.57 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Possession of Weapons CrimeRate Index was 0.86 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 83% over this timeframe.
Violence and Sexual Offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.83 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Violence and Sexual Offences CrimeRate Index was 0.75 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 11% over this timeframe.
Drugs offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.70 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Drugs CrimeRate Index was 0.52 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 35% over this timeframe.
Most Significant 3-Year Decreases in Crime Types
Cambridge
Calculated with the same methodology as the largest increases section above.
Public Order offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.71 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Public Order CrimeRate Index was 1.38 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 49% over this timeframe.
Robbery offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.60 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Robbery CrimeRate Index was 0.44 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 36% over this timeframe.
Criminal Damage and Arson offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.76 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Criminal Damage and Arson CrimeRate Index was 0.87 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 13% over this timeframe.
Crime Type Breakdown & Heat Map
Cambridge • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Size and colour reflect the CrimeRate Index figures for each type of crime.
Cambridge | Cambridgeshire | East of England | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Type | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,433 | 13.13 | 0.93 | 14,438 | 13.36 | 0.95 | 74,182 | 10.23 | 0.72 |
| Bicycle Theft | 785 | 4.24 | 5.81 | 1,531 | 1.42 | 1.95 | 5,325 | 0.72 | 0.99 |
| Burglary | 539 | 2.91 | 0.93 | 3,146 | 2.90 | 0.93 | 17,593 | 2.42 | 0.77 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,010 | 5.45 | 0.87 | 6,344 | 5.88 | 0.94 | 40,107 | 5.51 | 0.88 |
| Drugs | 707 | 3.82 | 1.24 | 3,061 | 2.83 | 0.92 | 18,935 | 2.59 | 0.84 |
| Other Crime | 272 | 1.46 | 0.79 | 2,223 | 2.06 | 1.11 | 12,241 | 1.70 | 0.92 |
| Other Theft | 1,060 | 5.73 | 1.01 | 4,998 | 4.63 | 0.81 | 34,703 | 4.78 | 0.84 |
| Possession of Weapons | 215 | 1.15 | 1.35 | 1,146 | 1.06 | 1.25 | 5,931 | 0.83 | 0.98 |
| Public Order | 993 | 5.38 | 0.93 | 4,510 | 4.17 | 0.72 | 32,088 | 4.42 | 0.76 |
| Robbery | 162 | 0.87 | 0.74 | 559 | 0.51 | 0.43 | 4,492 | 0.61 | 0.52 |
| Shoplifting | 2,488 | 13.44 | 1.88 | 6,993 | 6.49 | 0.91 | 43,068 | 5.94 | 0.83 |
| Theft From the Person | 356 | 1.93 | 1.25 | 698 | 0.65 | 0.42 | 3,654 | 0.52 | 0.34 |
| Vehicle Crime | 663 | 3.60 | 0.84 | 3,742 | 3.45 | 0.80 | 27,821 | 3.84 | 0.89 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 4,543 | 24.55 | 0.81 | 29,175 | 27.01 | 0.89 | 200,684 | 27.65 | 0.91 |
Download | |||||||||
Total Crime by Year
Cambridge | Cambridgeshire | East of England | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| 2026 | 13,793 | 74.53 | 1.04 | 68,126 | 63.06 | 0.88 | 446,642 | 61.53 | 0.85 |
| 2025 | 14,578 | 78.78 | 1.06 | 66,617 | 61.99 | 0.84 | 441,082 | 61.31 | 0.83 |
| 2024 | 15,092 | 81.85 | 1.09 | 67,906 | 63.71 | 0.84 | 443,460 | 62.34 | 0.83 |
| 2023 | 14,506 | 79.74 | 1.01 | 70,997 | 67.53 | 0.85 | 474,715 | 67.51 | 0.85 |
| 2022 | 13,855 | 77.44 | 1.01 | 66,531 | 64.15 | 0.84 | 471,617 | 67.78 | 0.88 |
| 2021 | 11,568 | 65.23 | 0.95 | 59,363 | 57.95 | 0.85 | 437,869 | 63.51 | 0.93 |
| 2020 | 14,545 | 82.99 | 1.12 | 64,534 | 63.52 | 0.86 | 465,376 | 67.88 | 0.92 |
| 2019 | 14,257 | 82.34 | 1.08 | 63,505 | 62.98 | 0.83 | 482,539 | 70.87 | 0.93 |
| 2018 | 14,408 | 84.32 | 1.19 | 65,185 | 65.00 | 0.91 | 439,882 | 64.91 | 0.91 |
| 2017 | 12,792 | 76.03 | 1.19 | 58,616 | 58.91 | 0.92 | 396,747 | 58.76 | 0.92 |
| 2016 | 3,517 | 21.04 | 1.10 | 15,799 | 15.92 | 0.83 | 116,493 | 17.30 | 0.91 |
Download | |||||||||
Comparing Cambridge to the UK's Major Cities
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| City Name | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 74.53 | - |
| Cardiff | 79.55 | 7% more dangerous |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 82.69 | 11% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 84.09 | 13% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.87 | 31% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 104.64 | 40% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 105.05 | 41% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 106.48 | 43% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 107.10 | 44% more dangerous |
| Nottingham | 107.74 | 45% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 125.00 | 68% more dangerous |
CrimeRate Pro
To download charts and tables, you must subscribed to CrimeRate Pro
You can find out more, or get a CrimeRate Insights report that includes further analysis.
Offences In and Around Cambridge's Parks & Leisure Spaces
Limited to spaces in Cambridge that are named and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries in the 12 months to Apr 2026.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay Farm Community Garden | 1 | - | 1 | - | 6 | 5 |
| Marleigh West End Playground | 3 | - | - | - | 13 | 4 |
| Hector Pieterson Play Area | 5 | - | 4 | - | 8 | 20 |
| Petersfield | 27 | 26 | 32 | 4 | 99 | 87 |
| St Matthew's Piece | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Stourbridge Common | 2 | - | 1 | - | 6 | 5 |
| Coton Countryside Reserve | - | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 5 |
| Cambridge University Sports Centre | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 2 |
| Donkey's Common | 26 | 24 | 36 | 3 | 74 | 90 |
| Cherry Hinton Skatepark | 3 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Trumpington Pumptrack | 1 | 5 | - | - | - | 0 |
| Sheep's Green | 6 | - | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 |
| Jesus Green | 10 | 1 | 2 | - | 14 | 21 |
| Trinity Hall Sports Ground | 1 | - | - | - | 3 | 0 |
| Midsummer Common | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 31 | 33 |
| Coldham's Common | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 49 | 33 |
| Trinity Old Field | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| Trumpington Meadows Country Park | 15 | 2 | 2 | - | 29 | 12 |
| Bramblefields Local Nature Reserve | 23 | - | 5 | - | 12 | 10 |
| Queens' Green | 7 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 9 |
| Cambridge 99 Rowing Club Boat House | 19 | 1 | 4 | - | 31 | 38 |
| Paradise Nature Reserve | 5 | - | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Hobson's Park | 11 | - | 4 | - | 3 | 46 |
| Cambridge General Cemetery | 10 | 1 | - | - | 31 | 12 |
| Milton Country Park | 6 | - | 2 | - | 8 | 19 |
| City Cemetery | 6 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 30 | 90 |
| Caius College Fellows' Garden | 9 | 1 | 1 | - | 10 | 17 |
| Mill Road Cemetery | 3 | 4 | 2 | - | 9 | 23 |
| Anglia Ruskin University | - | - | - | - | 1 | 4 |
| Ascension Parish Burial Ground | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Emmanuel College Sports Ground | - | - | - | - | 7 | 2 |
| Cambridge University Sports Ground | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 |
| Corpus Christi College Sports Ground | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| Downing College Sports Ground | 4 | - | 1 | - | 7 | 5 |
| Cambridge Rugby Football Ground | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 |
| Histon Road Allotments | 5 | - | 2 | - | 18 | 13 |
| Chesterton Community College Sports Field | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| Chesterton Recreation Ground | 4 | 1 | 2 | - | 4 | 6 |
| Shelly Row Play Area | - | - | - | - | 1 | 3 |
| St John's College Playing Fields | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Alexandra Gardens | 3 | 1 | 4 | - | 7 | 2 |
| Trinity College Fellows' Garden | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | 6 |
| University Rugby Ground | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | 6 |
| Kelsey Kerridge Sports Hall | 26 | 24 | 36 | 3 | 74 | 90 |
| Fenner's | 15 | 1 | 22 | 3 | 17 | 85 |
| Ainsworth Street Play Area | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 7 |
| Gonville and Caius College Sports Ground | 3 | - | 4 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| St Catharine's College Sports Ground | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Cambridge University Botanic Garden | 6 | 16 | 6 | - | 23 | 49 |
| Coleridge Recreation Ground | 5 | 1 | - | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| Cambridge and County Bowling Club | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Empty Common Allotments | 8 | 2 | 4 | - | 24 | 17 |
| Elfleda Road Allotments | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Abbey Pool | 4 | - | - | - | 5 | 1 |
| Peverel Road Allotments | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| Romsey Recreation Ground | 15 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 29 |
| Vinery Road Allotments | 2 | - | 3 | - | 21 | 7 |
| Burnside Allotments | 4 | - | 3 | - | 10 | 12 |
| Perne Road Allotments | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 |
| Wenvoe Close Allotments | 7 | 18 | - | - | 18 | 4 |
| Cherry Hinton Recreation Ground | 14 | - | 1 | - | 32 | 9 |
| King George V Memorial Playing Field | 14 | 6 | - | - | 17 | 16 |
| St Mary's School and Homerton College Sports Ground | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Holbrooke Road Allotments | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 8 |
| Frank Lee Centre | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Former Allotment Land | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 3 |
| Baldock Way Allotments | 2 | - | - | - | 8 | 16 |
| Combined Colleges Boathouse | 4 | - | - | - | 5 | 6 |
| Jubilee Gardens | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Christ's Pieces | 36 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 69 | 65 |
| Fitzwilliam College Playing Fields | 3 | - | 2 | - | 3 | 6 |
| Cannons Green | 2 | - | 1 | - | 2 | 7 |
| Barnwell East Local Nature Reserve | 4 | - | - | - | 3 | 6 |
| Parker's Piece | 71 | 38 | 59 | 8 | 147 | 191 |
| Clay Farm Allotments | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Logan's Meadow | 19 | 4 | 9 | - | 23 | 23 |
| Lammas Land | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 6 |
| Brown's Field Pump Track | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | 2 |
Recent Crimes in Cambridge
The 20 most recent crime reports in Cambridge.
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Water Street | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Water Street | |
| April 2026 | Bicycle theft | On or near Water Street | |
| April 2026 | Bicycle theft | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Burglary | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Ditchburn Place | |
| April 2026 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Public order | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Fitzroy Street | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near James Street | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Supermarket |
Methodology & Data Sources
Cambridge Crime Report
Data Sources & Processing
Every month, CrimeRate processes crime reports from data.police.uk, the UK's official provider of open crime report data. Each crime report includes anonymised coordinates, most often "snapped" to the middle of the nearest street, or to the nearest major landmark. The reports also include the month and year the crime was reported, as well as the type of crime.
Data releases on data.police.uk happen once a month, with a two-month delay. This means that, for example, crimes reported in Cambridge during July 2026 will typically become available in September 2026. The latest release is for Apr 2026 and was released in Jun 2026. To provide current and historical crime statistics, CrimeRate processed 61,669,232 crime reports for the latest release.
Cambridge Data Points
For Cambridge, CrimeRate uses the geographic boundaries provided by The Office for National Statistics in the December 2023 release of their Parishes and Non Civil Parished Areas dataset, using the PARNCP23CD column value E43000042.
Due to the 2021 Census being conducted during a UK-wide Coronavirus lockdown, the daytime population figures released so far cannot be relied on for purposes such as comparing crime rates. Instead, CrimeRate uses Cambridge's daytime - or "workday" - population of 158,712 from the ONS 2011 Census for calculations throughout the site.
All geographic boundaries use the full resolution - extent of the realm versions where provided to avoid missing crime reports near coastlines and rivers - the banks of the Thames in particular - that would otherwise not be included when using the clipped to the coastline datasets.
Calculating Crime Rates
CrimeRate locates the UK region, county, and town/city/village locality for each crime report, and calculates the crime rate by taking the sum of all crime reports, dividing it by the locality's daytime / "workday" population, and multiplying the result by 1,000 to get the crime rate per 1,000.
Crime Risk Score Calculations
CrimeRate calculates crime counts for local, nearby, and wider areas for every postcode in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The postcodes locations are deduplicated by a process that ensures distinct points are approximately 50 metres apart. This process removes the bias that would otherwise come from counting the same crimes several times in heavily populated areas.
Using a custom algorithm developed in-house, CrimeRate applies a crime severity weighting to each area's crime counts, based on the type of crime reported. This increases or decreases the crime count, or zeroes it out entirely, depending on the crime type. A separate crime severity rate is then calculated, standardised, and scaled to fit the crime risk score range of 1 to 1,000, with 1 being the lowest score, and 1,000 the highest.
Crime risk scores undergo further analysis per town, city, and village plus other areas including police forces and neighbourhoods. CrimeRate uses percentiles to work out the most common range of crime risk scores in each locality. This includes identifying the high and low bounds where approximately 68% of scores fall, and finding the median (50th percentile) for easy reference.
The crime types with a weight of zero are: Anti-Social Behaviour; Bicycle Theft; Other Crime; Other Theft; and Shoplifting. The highest weights to are assigned to Violence & Sexual Offences, and the lowest to Vehicle Crime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crime in Cambridge