Oxford is the most dangerous major town in Oxfordshire, and is the 31st most dangerous overall out of Oxfordshire's 312 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Oxford in 2021 was 81 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Oxfordshire's overall crime rate, coming in 16% higher than the Oxfordshire rate of 68 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Oxford is the 51st safest major town, and the 1,023rd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2021, Oxford had the worst crime rate in Oxfordshire for bicycle theft, with 42 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.26 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2021 was also a bad month for Oxford residents, when it was Oxfordshire's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 41 crimes at a rate of 0.25 per 1,000 residents. Oxford recorded 56 reports of criminal damage and arson during December 2021, making its crime rate of 0.35 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Oxfordshire that month.
The most common crimes in Oxford are violence and sexual offences, with 4,627 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 29. This is 19% higher than 2020's figure of 3,747 offences and a difference of 5.42 from 2020's crime rate of 23. Oxford's least common crime is robbery, with 68 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 29% from 2020's figure of 88 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Major Towns, Oxfordshire
11% higher, regional crime rate
South East
10% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Oxford is 11% higher than the South East and 10% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Oxford | |
| South East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Oxford represent the time frame between April 2019 and March 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
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 visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 81 | 13,176 |
| 2020 | 72 | 11,628 |
| 2019 | 78 | 12,607 |
| 2018 | 77 | 12,439 |
| 2017 | 76 | 12,362 |
| 2016 | 69 | 11,271 |
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| Oxford | Oxfordshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,326 | 8.17 | 5,687 | 8.22 | 0.61% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,357 | 8.36 | 1,789 | 2.59 | 69% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 715 | 4.41 | 2,231 | 3.23 | 27% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 892 | 5.50 | 4,216 | 6.10 | 11% safer |
| Drugs | 473 | 2.91 | 1,715 | 2.48 | 15% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 183 | 1.13 | 851 | 1.23 | 9% safer |
| Other Theft | 961 | 5.92 | 3,734 | 5.40 | 9% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 117 | 0.72 | 360 | 0.52 | 28% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,990 | 12.26 | 6,654 | 9.62 | 22% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 68 | 0.42 | 183 | 0.26 | 38% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 809 | 4.98 | 2,598 | 3.76 | 24% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 310 | 1.91 | 724 | 1.05 | 45% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 674 | 4.15 | 2,472 | 3.57 | 14% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 4,627 | 28.51 | 19,838 | 28.68 | 0.60% safer |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Pedestrian Subway | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Burglary | On or near Swinburne Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Cornwallis Close | Local resolution |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Weyman Terrace | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Iffley Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Drugs | On or near Peterley Road | Local resolution |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Leys Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Fairlie Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Randolph Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Cowley Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Bartlemas Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Osney Mead | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Salter Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Petrol Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Banjo Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Pedestrian Subway | Offender given a caution |
| March 2022 | Drugs | On or near Warwick Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Bennett Crescent | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Rowney Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 10 | 11 | 6 | 8 | Safer |
| Burglary | 4.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.4 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 3.2 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 2.9 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 11 | 10 | 5 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.65 | 0.80 | 0.85 | 0.72 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 3.7 | 4.7 | 6 | 12 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.83 | 0.94 | 0.54 | 0.42 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 7 | 8 | 5.0 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 3.4 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 1.9 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 4.5 | 6 | 6 | 4.2 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 20 | 21 | 23 | 29 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Oxford that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milham Ford Nature Park | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0.27 |
| Sandy Lane Recreation Ground | - | 3 | - | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3.0 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 39.93 | 103% safer |
| Birmingham | 49.60 | 64% safer |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 21% safer |
| Oxford | 81.19 | - |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 1.6% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 90.03 | 10% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 10% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 27% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 34% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 39% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 46% more dangerous |
Blackbird Leys is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Oxford, followed by Oxford Central in second place, and East Central Oxford as the third most dangerous area. Oxford's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Botley & Kennington, North Central Oxford, and Summertown.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barton | 743 | 107 | Seventh |
| Blackbird Leys | 943 | 165 | First |
| Botley & Kennington | 503 | 50 | 17th |
| Churchill | 740 | 104 | Eighth |
| Cowley North | 1,334 | 99 | Ninth |
| Cowley South & Iffley | 1,121 | 122 | Fifth |
| East Central Oxford | 1,639 | 155 | Third |
| Grandpont & New Hinksey | 446 | 81 | 11th |
| Greater Leys | 709 | 114 | Sixth |
| Headington | 946 | 63 | 13th |
| Iffley Fields | 470 | 94 | Tenth |
| Littlemore & Rose Hill | 1,224 | 125 | Fourth |
| Marston | 326 | 53 | 14th |
| North Central Oxford | 343 | 52 | 15th |
| Oxford Central | 2,997 | 165 | Second |
| Risinghurst & Sandhills | 510 | 68 | 12th |
| Summertown | 360 | 51 | 16th |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Oxford for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Headington (49) | Churchill (168) |
| Bicycle Theft | Greater Leys (8) | Oxford Central (458) |
| Burglary | Greater Leys (20) | Risinghurst & Sandhills (65) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Botley & Kennington (33) | Blackbird Leys (78) |
| Drugs | Summertown (7) | Blackbird Leys (52) |
| Other Crime | Botley & Kennington (2) | Blackbird Leys (12) |
| Other Theft | Marston (22) | Blackbird Leys (73) |
| Possession of Weapons | Summertown (2) | Cowley South & Iffley (14) |
| Public Order | Marston (28) | Oxford Central (549) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Botley & Kennington (1) | East Central Oxford (14) |
| Shoplifting | Barton (1) | Blackbird Leys (123) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | North Central Oxford (2) | Oxford Central (154) |
| Vehicle Crime | Oxford Central (31) | Iffley Fields (45) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Summertown (101) | Blackbird Leys (362) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Oxford change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in August, when Oxford saw a 159% increase in drugs. Oxford saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 95% compared to April in 2019. Bicycle Theft saw a fall in every month of Oxford's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -33% | -40% | -14% | +9% | -14% | +6% | +3% | -24% | +29% | +36% |
| Bicycle Theft | -51% | -70% | -68% | -55% | -44% | -51% | -42% | -26% | -11% | +23% |
| Burglary | -34% | -24% | -30% | +9% | +136% | -8% | -13% | -13% | +11% | +40% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +15% | -53% | -25% | -29% | +11% | +2% | +14% | +1% | +3% | +9% |
| Drugs | +48% | +15% | +48% | +103% | +54% | +159% | +43% | - | +59% | +32% |
| Other Crime | +31% | -53% | +37% | - | -12% | +75% | -9% | +12% | +60% | -18% |
| Other Theft | -58% | -69% | -51% | -49% | -62% | -51% | -53% | -41% | -36% | -32% |
| Possession of Weapons | +15% | +29% | +113% | +9% | -37% | +71% | +56% | -27% | -36% | -8% |
| Public Order | +2% | -25% | +17% | -3% | +88% | +47% | +78% | +36% | +51% | +37% |
| Robbery | -25% | -77% | -18% | -55% | +11% | +10% | -27% | -80% | -69% | -25% |
| Shoplifting | -20% | -63% | -20% | -29% | +60% | +32% | +32% | +58% | -5% | -34% |
| Theft From the Person | -40% | -95% | -90% | -50% | -43% | -74% | -61% | -71% | -79% | -9% |
| Vehicle Crime | +30% | -33% | -1% | -13% | -14% | -32% | -11% | -37% | -30% | - |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +20% | -15% | +1% | -5% | +42% | +5% | +11% | +7% | +2% | +19% |
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