Cheltenham Crime Overview
Cheltenham is the safest major town in Gloucestershire, and the the 29th most dangerous overall out of Gloucestershire's 267 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Cheltenham in 2020 was 51 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Gloucestershire's overall crime rate, coming in 14% higher than Gloucestershire's rate of 44 per 1,000 residents. For England and Wales as a whole, Cheltenham ranks as the the 60th most dangerous major town, and the the 2,491st most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In November 2020, Cheltenham had the worst crime rate in Gloucestershire for bicycle theft, with 13 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.11 per 1,000 inhabitants. November 2020 was also a bad month for Cheltenham residents, when it was Gloucestershire's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 37 crimes at a rate of 0.32 per 1,000 residents. Cheltenham recorded 86 reports of criminal damage and arson during November 2020, making its crime rate of 0.74 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Gloucestershire that month.
The most common crimes in Cheltenham are violence and sexual offences, with 2,095 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 18. This is 20% lower than 2019's figure of 2,520 offences and a difference of 3.66 from 2019's crime rate of 22. Cheltenham's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 40 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 28% from 2019's figure of 51 crimes.
Cheltenham Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Cheltenham This Year
| Cheltenham | Gloucestershire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 4,517 | 38.84 | 25,803 | 37.36 | 3.8% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 261 | 2.24 | 603 | 0.87 | 61% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 411 | 3.53 | 2,137 | 3.09 | 12% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 741 | 6.37 | 3,745 | 5.42 | 15% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 213 | 1.83 | 1,268 | 1.84 | 0.55% safer |
| Other Crime | 118 | 1.01 | 552 | 0.80 | 21% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 437 | 3.76 | 2,528 | 3.66 | 2.7% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 40 | 0.34 | 235 | 0.34 | 0% safer |
| Public Order | 528 | 4.54 | 2,654 | 3.84 | 15% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 56 | 0.48 | 281 | 0.41 | 15% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 418 | 3.59 | 1,885 | 2.73 | 24% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 41 | 0.35 | 144 | 0.21 | 40% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 567 | 4.88 | 2,201 | 3.19 | 35% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 2,095 | 18.01 | 12,085 | 17.50 | 2.8% more dangerous |
Cheltenham Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Towns | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham | 5,926 | 50.95 | - |
| Gloucester | 8,849 | 68.53 | 26% more dangerous |
Cheltenham Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 42 | 35 | 30 | 39 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.4 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.2 | Safer |
| Burglary | 6 | 8 | 4.9 | 3.5 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.8 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.79 | 0.68 | 1.1 | 1.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3.8 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.32 | 0.28 | 0.44 | 0.34 | Safer |
| Public Order | 2.2 | 2.5 | 5 | 4.5 | Getting worse |
| Robbery | 0.60 | 0.72 | 0.46 | 0.48 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3.6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person | 0.89 | 1.0 | 0.64 | 0.35 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4.9 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 15 | 17 | 22 | 18 | Getting worse |
Comparing Cheltenham to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Towns | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham | 50.95 | - |
| Coventry | 71.50 | 29% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 73.99 | 31% more dangerous |
| Kirklees | 74.23 | 31% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 77.18 | 34% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 79.19 | 36% more dangerous |
| London | 80.70 | 37% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 89.02 | 43% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 91.57 | 44% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 91.90 | 45% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 102.51 | 50% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 105.94 | 52% more dangerous |
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: 18 Feb 2021