Sawbridgeworth Crime Overview
Sawbridgeworth is among the top 10 safest small towns in Hertfordshire, and is the 70th safest overall out of Hertfordshire's 141 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Sawbridgeworth in 2020 was 40 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Hertfordshire's overall crime rate, coming in 49% lower than the Hertfordshire rate of 60 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Sawbridgeworth is the 250th safest small town, and the 4,373rd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In March 2020, Sawbridgeworth was the worst small town in Hertfordshire for other crime, with 4 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.44 per 1,000 inhabitants. July 2019 was also a bad month for Sawbridgeworth residents, when it was Hertfordshire's most dangerous small town for bicycle theft, recording 3 crimes at a rate of 0.33 per 1,000 residents. Sawbridgeworth recorded 3 reports of possession of weapons during September 2018, making its crime rate of 0.33 the worst small town for possession of weapons in Hertfordshire that month.
The most common crimes in Sawbridgeworth are violence and sexual offences, with 151 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 17. This is 2.0% higher than 2019's figure of 148 offences and a difference of 0.33 from 2019's crime rate of 16. Sawbridgeworth's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 1 offence recorded in 2020, a decrease of 100% from 2019's figure of 2 crimes.
Compare Sawbridgeworth to other towns and cities
See how Sawbridgeworth shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Sawbridgeworth and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Sawbridgeworth Crime Map
Crime in Sawbridgeworth Compared To Hertfordshire
Summary of Crimes in Sawbridgeworth This Year
| Sawbridgeworth | Hertfordshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 128 | 14.11 | 26,059 | 21.91 | 55% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 7 | 0.77 | 1,506 | 1.27 | 65% safer |
| Burglary | 34 | 3.75 | 4,023 | 3.38 | 10% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 38 | 4.19 | 7,241 | 6.09 | 45% safer |
| Drugs | 9 | 0.99 | 2,624 | 2.21 | 123% safer |
| Other Crime | 14 | 1.54 | 1,472 | 1.24 | 19% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 35 | 3.86 | 6,806 | 5.72 | 48% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1 | 0.11 | 568 | 0.48 | 336% safer |
| Public Order | 30 | 3.31 | 5,557 | 4.67 | 41% safer |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.33 | 712 | 0.60 | 82% safer |
| Shoplifting | 9 | 0.99 | 6,358 | 5.35 | 440% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 33 | 3.64 | 6,730 | 5.66 | 55% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 151 | 16.65 | 26,803 | 22.53 | 35% safer |
Sawbridgeworth Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Colney | 328 | 33.72 | 19% safer |
| Chorleywood | 409 | 35.20 | 14% safer |
| Abbots Langley | 772 | 35.43 | 13% safer |
| Berkhamsted | 734 | 38.64 | 3.9% safer |
| Tring | 485 | 38.80 | 3.4% safer |
| Sawbridgeworth | 364 | 40.13 | - |
| Royston | 689 | 40.43 | 0.74% more dangerous |
| North Mymms | 384 | 41.20 | 2.6% more dangerous |
| Welwyn | 376 | 41.46 | 3.2% more dangerous |
| Ware | 1,014 | 50.47 | 20% more dangerous |
| Baldock | 543 | 51.11 | 21% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Sawbridgeworth
View crime percentage over time forSawbridgeworth Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 16 | 10 | 13 | 14 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.22 | 0.44 | 0.77 | 0.77 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3.8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 6 | 4.5 | 8 | 4.2 | Safer |
| Drugs | 0.99 | 1.4 | 0.88 | 0.99 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.3 | 1.4 | 0.77 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 4.0 | 6 | 3.9 | 3.9 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 2.1 | 0.55 | 0.22 | 0.11 | Safer |
| Public Order | 2.4 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.3 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.55 | 0.11 | 0.11 | 0.33 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 0.99 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 6 | 9 | 6 | 3.6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 11 | 18 | 16 | 17 | Getting worse |
Changes In Sawbridgeworth's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Sawbridgeworth's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Sawbridgeworth that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2020.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullfields | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.56 |
| West Road Play Area | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 5 |
Comparing Sawbridgeworth to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Sawbridgeworth | 40.13 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 41% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 48% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 52% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 53% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 53% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 59% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 61% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 63% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 70% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 71% more dangerous |
Crime in Sawbridgeworth's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawbridgeworth | 364 | 40 | First |
Crime in Sawbridgeworth During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Sawbridgeworth change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in October, when Sawbridgeworth saw a 400% increase in other theft. Sawbridgeworth saw a large fall in burglary during November, when it fell by 90% compared to November in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -50% | +30% | -7% | +133% | +63% | -17% | +33% | -50% | +78% | +33% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | - | - | -67% | - | - | - | - | - |
| Burglary | -14% | - | -40% | - | -71% | - | -60% | -67% | -90% | -83% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -78% | - | -70% | -25% | -33% | -40% | -17% | -57% | -71% | - |
| Drugs | - | - | -50% | - | - | - | -33% | - | - | - |
| Other Crime | +300% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -50% | - |
| Other Theft | -57% | -67% | - | +100% | -20% | -33% | +100% | +400% | +100% | - |
| Public Order | -60% | - | - | -75% | +67% | -50% | +67% | - | - | -80% |
| Shoplifting | - | - | - | -75% | -33% | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -63% | -71% | -50% | -57% | -57% | -75% | -57% | +300% | - | - |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +17% | -50% | -53% | +33% | -33% | +360% | +214% | -23% | -57% | -14% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Sawbridgeworth
What police force serves Sawbridgeworth?
Sawbridgeworth's local territorial police force is the Hertfordshire Constabulary.How dangerous is Sawbridgeworth?
Sawbridgeworth is among the top 10 safest small towns in Hertfordshire.What is Sawbridgeworth's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Sawbridgeworth are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Sawbridgeworth?
Sawbridgeworth's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 07 May 2021