Guildford Crime Overview
Guildford is the most dangerous major town in Surrey, and is the 23rd most dangerous overall out of Surrey's 105 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Guildford in 2020 was 69 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Surrey's overall crime rate, coming in 27% higher than the Surrey rate of 50 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Guildford is the 36th safest major town, and the 1,490th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Guildford had the worst crime rate in Surrey for criminal damage and arson, with 53 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.61 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Guildford residents, when it was Surrey's most dangerous area for drugs, recording 49 crimes at a rate of 0.57 per 1,000 residents. Guildford recorded 15 reports of other crime during October 2020, making its crime rate of 0.17 the worst for other crime in Surrey that month.
The most common crimes in Guildford are violence and sexual offences, with 2,155 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 25. This is 8% lower than 2019's figure of 2,328 offences and a difference of 2.00 from 2019's crime rate of 27. Guildford's least common crime is robbery, with 25 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 80% from 2019's figure of 45 crimes.
Compare Guildford to other towns and cities
See how Guildford shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Guildford and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Guildford Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Guildford This Year
| Guildford | Surrey | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,291 | 26.45 | 24,963 | 20.88 | 21% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 202 | 2.33 | 1,268 | 1.06 | 55% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 250 | 2.89 | 3,650 | 3.05 | 6% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 602 | 6.95 | 7,322 | 6.12 | 12% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 378 | 4.36 | 2,771 | 2.32 | 47% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 126 | 1.45 | 1,339 | 1.12 | 23% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 462 | 5.33 | 4,935 | 4.13 | 23% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 45 | 0.52 | 533 | 0.45 | 13% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 883 | 10.20 | 7,521 | 6.29 | 38% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 25 | 0.29 | 369 | 0.31 | 7% safer |
| Shoplifting | 558 | 6.44 | 2,947 | 2.46 | 62% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 62 | 0.72 | 364 | 0.30 | 58% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 202 | 2.33 | 4,929 | 4.12 | 77% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 2,155 | 24.88 | 22,380 | 18.72 | 25% more dangerous |
Crime in Guildford Compared To Surrey
Guildford Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woking | 6,240 | 60.55 | 13% safer |
| Walton-on-Thames | 4,327 | 62.52 | 10% safer |
| Guildford | 5,950 | 68.70 | - |
Guildford Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 27 | 24 | 25 | 26 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.6 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.3 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 3.8 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 2.9 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Drugs | 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 9 | 9 | 9 | 5 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.48 | 0.76 | 0.76 | 0.52 | Safer |
| Public Order | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.20 | 0.35 | 0.52 | 0.29 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 10 | 9 | 12 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.0 | 0.76 | 0.99 | 0.72 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 2.5 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 2.3 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 21 | 21 | 27 | 25 | Getting worse |
Changes In Guildford's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Guildford to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 1.5% safer |
| Guildford | 68.70 | - |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 11% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 17% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 20% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 20% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 29% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 33% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 36% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 48% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 50% more dangerous |
Crime in Guildford's Neighbourhoods
Guildford Town Centre is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Guildford, followed by Onslow Village and University in second place, and Bellfields, Slyfield & Weyfield as the third most dangerous area. Guildford's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Burpham North & Merrow East, Burpham, Boxgrove & Merrow West, and Pewley Down & The Mount.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellfields, Slyfield & Weyfield | 563 | 85 | Third |
| Burpham North & Merrow East | 313 | 36 | Eighth |
| Burpham, Boxgrove & Merrow West | 309 | 32 | Ninth |
| Guildford Town Centre | 1,997 | 161 | First |
| Onslow Village and University | 1,131 | 119 | Second |
| Park Barn & Royal Surrey | 595 | 57 | Fourth |
| Pewley Down & The Mount | 242 | 38 | Seventh |
| Stoughton | 425 | 48 | Fifth |
| Woodbridge Hill | 307 | 43 | Sixth |
Guildford Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Guildford for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Burpham, Boxgrove & Merrow West (129) | Guildford Town Centre (774) |
| Bicycle Theft | Burpham North & Merrow East (2) | Guildford Town Centre (91) |
| Burglary | Burpham North & Merrow East (14) | Guildford Town Centre (70) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Burpham North & Merrow East (37) | Guildford Town Centre (181) |
| Drugs | Burpham North & Merrow East (10) | Guildford Town Centre (129) |
| Other Crime | Burpham North & Merrow East (6) | Guildford Town Centre (49) |
| Other Theft | Burpham, Boxgrove & Merrow West (17) | Guildford Town Centre (171) |
| Possession of Weapons | Burpham, Boxgrove & Merrow West (1) | Onslow Village and University (15) |
| Public Order | Burpham, Boxgrove & Merrow West (37) | Guildford Town Centre (335) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Burpham, Boxgrove & Merrow West (1) | Guildford Town Centre (10) |
| Shoplifting | Pewley Down & The Mount (1) | Guildford Town Centre (313) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Bellfields, Slyfield & Weyfield (1) | Guildford Town Centre (31) |
| Vehicle Crime | Stoughton (11) | Guildford Town Centre (51) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Burpham, Boxgrove & Merrow West (129) | Onslow Village and University (454) |
Crime in Guildford During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Guildford change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in July, when Guildford saw a 100% increase in burglary. Guildford saw a large fall in possession of weapons during September, when it fell by 92% compared to September in 2019. Rates of shoplifting and vehicle crime both fell year-on-year for every month during Guildford's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -18% | +49% | +52% | +37% | -9% | -12% | -8% | +8% | +25% | +51% |
| Bicycle Theft | -50% | +67% | -54% | -46% | +34% | -35% | +6% | -15% | -18% | -15% |
| Burglary | -36% | -58% | -77% | +47% | +100% | -21% | -22% | -7% | -54% | -21% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -48% | -66% | -15% | -36% | - | +8% | -12% | -49% | -8% | -24% |
| Drugs | +28% | -3% | +9% | +43% | +36% | +5% | -32% | +17% | -28% | +75% |
| Other Crime | -57% | -30% | -40% | +8% | -25% | +27% | -29% | -6% | -7% | -75% |
| Other Theft | -15% | -75% | -57% | -33% | -30% | -23% | -37% | -45% | -54% | -42% |
| Possession of Weapons | -22% | -71% | -43% | -67% | +100% | -67% | -92% | +40% | -17% | +100% |
| Public Order | +40% | -34% | +7% | +44% | +36% | - | -17% | -5% | -8% | +12% |
| Robbery | -75% | - | -50% | - | -50% | +100% | +33% | -33% | -25% | -50% |
| Shoplifting | -61% | -71% | -66% | -55% | -51% | -38% | -20% | -63% | -37% | +12% |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | -57% | -50% | +100% | - | -11% | -33% | -88% | -45% |
| Vehicle Crime | -28% | -50% | -20% | -23% | -30% | -42% | +25% | -41% | -6% | -44% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +25% | -42% | -25% | -11% | -1% | +11% | -3% | -12% | -33% | -8% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Guildford
What police force serves Guildford?
Guildford's local territorial police force is the Surrey Police.How dangerous is Guildford?
Guildford is the most dangerous major town in Surrey.What is Guildford's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Guildford are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Guildford?
Guildford's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021