Crime and Safety in Bicester
Last updated: 07 Jun 2026
Bicester is the second most dangerous medium-sized town in Oxfordshire, and is the 25th most dangerous overall out of Oxfordshire's 312 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Bicester in 2026 is 72 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Oxfordshire's overall crime rate, coming in 36% higher than the Oxfordshire rate of 53 per 1,000 daytime population. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Bicester is the 100th most dangerous medium-sized town, and the 1,367th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In August 2024, Bicester had the worst crime rate in Oxfordshire for shoplifting, with 80 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.9 per 1,000 daytime population. May 2016 was also a bad month for Bicester residents, when it was Oxfordshire's most dangerous area for robbery, recording 2 crimes at a rate of 0.06 per 1,000 daytime population.
The most common crimes in Bicester are violence and sexual offences, with 1,156 offences during 2026, giving a crime rate of 28. This is 2.1% higher than 2025's figure of 1,132 offences and a difference of 0.57 from 2025's crime rate of 27. Bicester's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 16 offences recorded in 2026, an increase of 14% from 2025's figure of 14 crimes.
Bicester 2026 Crime Scorecard
Second Most Dangerous
Medium-Sized Towns, Oxfordshire
17% higher, regional crime rate
South East
0.15% lower, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
Local Crime in Context
As of April 2026, the crime rate in Bicester is 17% higher than the South East and 0.15% lower than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
Bicester Crime Rate Over Time
| Bicester | |
| South East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Bicester Crime Map
Incidents mapped in Bicester 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 Bicester Compares
You can compare Bicester'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 Bicester's crime statistics
This crime profile provides a detailed view of crime and safety around Bicester up to April 2026, the most recent data release available. The crime figures and statistics have been calculated across each of Bicester's 940 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 Bicester? 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
Bicester • 12 Months Ending April 2026
The typical five-minute walk within Bicester has a crime risk score of 470. This is based on analysis of 940 nearby areas within Bicester, 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 Bicester's risk scores as, for example, robbery, or violence & sexual offences.
Within a five-minute walk of the typical location in Bicester, crime risk scores are typically around 470, while in Oxfordshire they are average 409.
Areas within a ten-minute walk typically see crime risk scores of 534 (399 for Oxfordshire), and scores within a fifteen-minute walk are most often around 580 (Oxfordshire 400).
Trends in Crime Risk
Bicester
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 an increase of 17% in Bicester'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.
The five-year trend may be static; no significant trend was identified in Bicester's crime risk scores during this timeframe.
Over the last year, Bicester's crime risk score has shown an upward trend of approximately 14%, indicating that the risk profile is going up. This is an extremely short time period for crime trend analysis, and caution should be exercised when interpreting this figure.
Crime Rates and Indexes
Bicester
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
Bicester • 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 19 reports per 1,000 people in Bicester, which is 2.70 times the national average. This figure is calculated from 805 crime reports logged by Thames Valley Police during the 12-month period ending April 2026.
For the same period, Thames Valley Police recorded 1,156 reports of Violence and Sexual Offences in Bicester, resulting in a crime rate of 28 reports per 1,000, and a CrimeRate Index of 0.91.
The crime rate for Public Order is 0.88 times the national average at 5.09 reports per 1,000. This is from 213 crime reports reported to Thames Valley Police.
Most Significant 3-Year Increases in Crime Types
Bicester
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.
Robbery offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.70 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Robbery CrimeRate Index was 0.78 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 10% over this timeframe.
Burglary offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.58 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Burglary CrimeRate Index was 0.17 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 241% over this timeframe.
Vehicle Crime offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.97 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Vehicle Crime CrimeRate Index was 0.50 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 94% over this timeframe.
Most Significant 3-Year Decreases in Crime Types
Bicester
Calculated with the same methodology as the largest increases section above.
Drugs offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.52 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Drugs CrimeRate Index was 1.52 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 66% over this timeframe.
Theft From the Person offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.58 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Theft From the Person CrimeRate Index was 0.54 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 7% over this timeframe.
Possession of Weapons offences are trending downwards, though the CrimeRate Index three years ago is too low to measure, and the trend should be reviewed with caution.
Crime Type Breakdown & Heat Map
Bicester • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Size and colour reflect the CrimeRate Index figures for each type of crime.
Bicester | Oxfordshire | South East | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Type | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 250 | 6.00 | 0.42 | 5,244 | 6.03 | 0.43 | 115,500 | 10.87 | 0.77 |
| Bicycle Theft | 60 | 1.44 | 1.97 | 1,242 | 1.42 | 1.95 | 7,315 | 0.68 | 0.93 |
| Burglary | 77 | 1.82 | 0.58 | 1,826 | 2.09 | 0.67 | 23,535 | 2.23 | 0.71 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 196 | 4.70 | 0.75 | 3,683 | 4.24 | 0.68 | 58,501 | 5.50 | 0.88 |
| Drugs | 51 | 1.22 | 0.39 | 1,544 | 1.77 | 0.57 | 25,203 | 2.37 | 0.77 |
| Other Crime | 54 | 1.30 | 0.70 | 1,026 | 1.17 | 0.63 | 17,151 | 1.61 | 0.87 |
| Other Theft | 199 | 4.76 | 0.84 | 4,031 | 4.63 | 0.81 | 51,336 | 4.84 | 0.85 |
| Possession of Weapons | 16 | 0.37 | 0.59 | 334 | 0.37 | 0.44 | 8,736 | 0.81 | 0.95 |
| Public Order | 213 | 5.09 | 0.88 | 4,184 | 4.79 | 0.83 | 54,745 | 5.15 | 0.89 |
| Robbery | 41 | 0.98 | 0.83 | 484 | 0.55 | 0.47 | 7,588 | 0.72 | 0.61 |
| Shoplifting | 805 | 19.26 | 2.70 | 4,959 | 5.69 | 0.80 | 72,983 | 6.88 | 0.96 |
| Theft From the Person | 26 | 0.62 | 0.40 | 543 | 0.61 | 0.39 | 4,668 | 0.45 | 0.29 |
| Vehicle Crime | 109 | 2.64 | 0.61 | 2,064 | 2.37 | 0.55 | 34,099 | 3.22 | 0.75 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 1,156 | 27.67 | 0.91 | 20,006 | 22.96 | 0.76 | 286,815 | 26.98 | 0.89 |
Download | |||||||||
Total Crime by Year
Bicester | Oxfordshire | South East | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| 2026 | 3,003 | 71.87 | 1.00 | 45,926 | 52.66 | 0.73 | 652,675 | 61.44 | 0.85 |
| 2025 | 2,993 | 72.12 | 0.98 | 47,473 | 54.75 | 0.74 | 670,274 | 63.35 | 0.86 |
| 2024 | 3,059 | 75.03 | 1.01 | 47,431 | 55.35 | 0.73 | 690,903 | 65.86 | 0.87 |
| 2023 | 3,275 | 82.26 | 1.05 | 51,233 | 60.76 | 0.77 | 713,547 | 68.83 | 0.87 |
| 2022 | 3,218 | 82.34 | 1.08 | 49,164 | 59.40 | 0.77 | 704,444 | 68.58 | 0.89 |
| 2021 | 2,159 | 56.55 | 0.84 | 41,990 | 51.46 | 0.75 | 625,484 | 61.36 | 0.89 |
| 2020 | 2,246 | 60.07 | 0.81 | 39,686 | 49.11 | 0.66 | 669,219 | 65.97 | 0.89 |
| 2019 | 2,289 | 62.39 | 0.82 | 39,535 | 49.37 | 0.65 | 666,505 | 65.82 | 0.86 |
| 2018 | 2,535 | 70.48 | 1.00 | 38,049 | 47.83 | 0.67 | 644,142 | 63.85 | 0.90 |
| 2017 | 2,332 | 66.08 | 1.04 | 36,123 | 45.79 | 0.72 | 552,696 | 55.04 | 0.86 |
| 2016 | 584 | 16.64 | 0.88 | 10,357 | 13.12 | 0.69 | 160,273 | 15.99 | 0.84 |
Download | |||||||||
Bicester Compared to Nearby Medium-Sized Towns
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
Comparing Bicester to the UK's Major Cities
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| City Name | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Bicester | 71.87 | - |
| Cardiff | 79.55 | 11% more dangerous |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 82.69 | 15% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 84.09 | 17% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.87 | 36% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 104.64 | 46% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 105.05 | 46% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 106.48 | 48% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 107.10 | 49% more dangerous |
| Nottingham | 107.74 | 50% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 125.00 | 74% 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 Bicester's Parks & Leisure Spaces
Limited to spaces in Bicester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bure Park Nature | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 30 | 33 |
| Bicester Allotments | 1 | - | 2 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Four Allotment Sites Bicester | 2 | - | 2 | - | 18 | 10 |
| Pingle Recreation Ground | - | 1 | 5 | - | 1 | 120 |
| Garth Park | 6 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 20 | 26 |
Recent Crimes in Bicester
The 20 most recent crime reports in Bicester.
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Burglary | On or near Manorsfield Road | |
| April 2026 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Crockwell Close | |
| April 2026 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near East Street | |
| April 2026 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Gardeners Close | |
| April 2026 | Possession of weapons | On or near B4100 | |
| April 2026 | Public order | On or near Kingsclere Road | |
| April 2026 | Public order | On or near Parking Area | |
| April 2026 | Vehicle crime | On or near Herald Way | |
| April 2026 | Vehicle crime | On or near North Street | |
| April 2026 | Vehicle crime | On or near Foxglove Close | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Lincoln Close | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Shaw Close | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Manorsfield Road | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Kingsclere Road | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Kingsclere Road | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Kingsclere Road | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Kingsclere Road | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Crockwell Close | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Supermarket | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Shaw Close |
Methodology & Data Sources
Bicester 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 Bicester during June 2026 will typically become available in August 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.
Bicester Data Points
For Bicester, 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 E04013332.
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 Bicester's daytime - or "workday" - population of 28,357 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 Bicester