Cheltenham Crime Overview
Cheltenham is the safest major town in Gloucestershire, and is the 24th most dangerous overall out of Gloucestershire's 314 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Cheltenham in 2020 was 62 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Gloucestershire's overall crime rate, coming in 25% higher than the Gloucestershire rate of 46 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Cheltenham is the 23rd safest major town, and the 1,950th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Cheltenham had the worst crime rate in Gloucestershire for bicycle theft, with 14 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.12 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Cheltenham residents, when it was Gloucestershire's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 35 crimes at a rate of 0.30 per 1,000 residents. Cheltenham recorded 94 reports of criminal damage and arson during November 2020, making its crime rate of 0.80 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Gloucestershire that month.
The most common crimes in Cheltenham are violence and sexual offences, with 2,563 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 22. This is 7% lower than 2019's figure of 2,745 offences and a difference of 1.56 from 2019's crime rate of 23. Cheltenham's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 42 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 38% from 2019's figure of 58 crimes.
Compare Cheltenham to other towns and cities
See how Cheltenham shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Cheltenham and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Cheltenham Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Cheltenham This Year
| Cheltenham | Gloucestershire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 5,583 | 47.69 | 30,539 | 33.12 | 31% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 292 | 2.49 | 852 | 0.92 | 63% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 518 | 4.42 | 2,904 | 3.15 | 29% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 893 | 7.63 | 5,160 | 5.60 | 27% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 256 | 2.19 | 1,654 | 1.79 | 18% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 132 | 1.13 | 837 | 0.91 | 19% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 566 | 4.83 | 3,642 | 3.95 | 18% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 42 | 0.36 | 298 | 0.32 | 11% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 617 | 5.27 | 4,119 | 4.47 | 15% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 64 | 0.55 | 388 | 0.42 | 24% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 533 | 4.55 | 2,802 | 3.04 | 33% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 50 | 0.43 | 186 | 0.20 | 53% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 702 | 6.00 | 3,197 | 3.47 | 42% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 2,563 | 21.89 | 16,822 | 18.24 | 17% more dangerous |
Crime in Cheltenham Compared To Gloucestershire
Cheltenham Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham | 7,228 | 61.74 | - |
| Gloucester | 10,349 | 70.16 | 12% more dangerous |
Cheltenham Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 46 | 38 | 34 | 48 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.6 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Burglary | 8 | 9 | 6 | 4.4 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.0 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 2.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.91 | 0.75 | 1.2 | 1.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4.8 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.34 | 0.30 | 0.50 | 0.36 | Safer |
| Public Order | 2.4 | 2.7 | 6 | 5 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.63 | 0.79 | 0.52 | 0.55 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 7 | 7 | 4.6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.73 | 0.43 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 11 | 9 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 16 | 19 | 23 | 22 | Getting worse |
Changes In Cheltenham's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Cheltenham to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham | 61.74 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 9% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 20% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 26% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 28% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 28% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 37% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 40% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 42% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 54% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 55% more dangerous |
Crime in Cheltenham's Neighbourhoods
Arle & Hesters Way is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Cheltenham, followed by St Paul's in second place, and Lansdown & Montpellier as the third most dangerous area. Cheltenham's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Benhall & The Reddings, Hatherley, and The Park & Warden Hill.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alstone & St Mark's | 794 | 79 | Fifth |
| Arle & Hesters Way | 922 | 114 | First |
| Benhall & The Reddings | 301 | 43 | Eighth |
| Hatherley | 374 | 41 | Ninth |
| Lansdown & Montpellier | 1,124 | 109 | Third |
| Oakley | 377 | 67 | Seventh |
| Pittville & Fairview | 854 | 90 | Fourth |
| Springbank | 454 | 71 | Sixth |
| St Paul's | 908 | 110 | Second |
| The Park & Warden Hill | 288 | 37 | Tenth |
Cheltenham Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Cheltenham for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | The Park & Warden Hill (187) | Lansdown & Montpellier (1,000) |
| Bicycle Theft | Hatherley (9) | Lansdown & Montpellier (85) |
| Burglary | Hatherley (18) | Lansdown & Montpellier (104) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | The Park & Warden Hill (23) | Arle & Hesters Way (143) |
| Drugs | Hatherley (7) | Arle & Hesters Way (56) |
| Other Crime | The Park & Warden Hill (4) | Arle & Hesters Way (18) |
| Other Theft | Oakley (18) | Lansdown & Montpellier (136) |
| Possession of Weapons | Hatherley (1) | Arle & Hesters Way (9) |
| Public Order | The Park & Warden Hill (26) | St Paul's (120) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Oakley (1) | St Paul's (16) |
| Shoplifting | Benhall & The Reddings (13) | Pittville & Fairview (156) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Hatherley (1) | Lansdown & Montpellier (14) |
| Vehicle Crime | Hatherley (20) | Lansdown & Montpellier (104) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | The Park & Warden Hill (81) | Arle & Hesters Way (388) |
Crime in Cheltenham During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Cheltenham change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in June, when Cheltenham saw a 233% increase in other crime. Cheltenham saw a large fall in robbery during May, when it fell by 86% compared to May in 2019. Cheltenham saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including burglary, other theft, and theft from the person.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -6% | +112% | +132% | +67% | +10% | +32% | +13% | +38% | +34% | +87% |
| Bicycle Theft | -54% | -17% | -4% | +64% | +59% | -26% | +26% | -26% | -43% | +75% |
| Burglary | -26% | +8% | -53% | -5% | -9% | -14% | -18% | -15% | -29% | -43% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -17% | -34% | -51% | +13% | +14% | -21% | -3% | -10% | +2% | -33% |
| Drugs | - | +76% | +50% | -18% | -31% | -26% | +27% | -48% | -26% | +37% |
| Other Crime | +38% | -46% | -47% | +233% | +45% | -59% | +88% | -41% | +100% | - |
| Other Theft | -28% | -18% | -46% | -39% | -22% | -64% | -13% | +16% | -78% | -43% |
| Possession of Weapons | -33% | - | +50% | -83% | -67% | -50% | -67% | -57% | -40% | +100% |
| Public Order | +72% | +18% | +51% | +112% | +34% | -64% | -37% | -53% | -44% | -49% |
| Robbery | -67% | +50% | -86% | - | +133% | +100% | +29% | +200% | -40% | -50% |
| Shoplifting | -21% | -66% | -65% | -69% | -35% | -44% | -21% | -30% | -65% | -58% |
| Theft From the Person | +15% | -33% | -71% | -83% | -50% | -50% | -75% | -86% | -73% | -83% |
| Vehicle Crime | -32% | +6% | -76% | +27% | -4% | -11% | -13% | -24% | +26% | +3% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +4% | -13% | -21% | +3% | +17% | -9% | -19% | -25% | -29% | -18% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Cheltenham
What police force serves Cheltenham?
Cheltenham's local territorial police force is the Gloucestershire Constabulary.How dangerous is Cheltenham?
Cheltenham is the safest major town in Gloucestershire.What is Cheltenham's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Cheltenham are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Cheltenham?
Cheltenham's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021