Woking Crime Overview
Woking is the safest major town in Surrey, and is the 36th most dangerous overall out of Surrey's 105 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Woking in 2020 was 61 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Surrey's overall crime rate, coming in 17% higher than the Surrey rate of 50 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Woking is among the top 20 safest major towns, and the 2,041st most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In November 2020, Woking had the worst crime rate in Surrey for bicycle theft, with 24 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.23 per 1,000 inhabitants. November 2020 was also a bad month for Woking residents, when it was Surrey's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 36 crimes at a rate of 0.35 per 1,000 residents. Woking recorded 49 reports of criminal damage and arson during October 2020, making its crime rate of 0.48 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Surrey that month.
The most common crimes in Woking are violence and sexual offences, with 2,510 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 24. This is 3.7% lower than 2019's figure of 2,604 offences and a difference of 0.92 from 2019's crime rate of 25. Woking's least common crime is theft from the person, with 35 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 109% from 2019's figure of 73 crimes.
Compare Woking to other towns and cities
See how Woking shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Woking and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Woking Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Woking This Year
| Woking | Surrey | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,673 | 25.94 | 24,963 | 20.88 | 20% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 283 | 2.75 | 1,268 | 1.06 | 61% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 318 | 3.09 | 3,650 | 3.05 | 1.3% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 635 | 6.16 | 7,322 | 6.12 | 0.65% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 265 | 2.57 | 2,771 | 2.32 | 10% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 145 | 1.41 | 1,339 | 1.12 | 21% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 507 | 4.92 | 4,935 | 4.13 | 16% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 48 | 0.47 | 533 | 0.45 | 4.3% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 769 | 7.46 | 7,521 | 6.29 | 16% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 48 | 0.47 | 369 | 0.31 | 34% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 260 | 2.52 | 2,947 | 2.46 | 2.4% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 35 | 0.34 | 364 | 0.30 | 12% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 417 | 4.05 | 4,929 | 4.12 | 1.7% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 2,510 | 24.35 | 22,380 | 18.72 | 23% more dangerous |
Crime in Woking Compared To Surrey
Woking Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woking | 6,240 | 60.55 | - |
| Walton-on-Thames | 4,327 | 62.52 | 3.2% more dangerous |
| Guildford | 5,950 | 68.70 | 12% more dangerous |
Woking Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 24 | 21 | 22 | 26 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.7 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 5 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 3.1 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.2 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.6 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 6 | 7 | 7 | 4.9 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.45 | 0.78 | 0.50 | 0.47 | Safer |
| Public Order | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.31 | 0.42 | 0.51 | 0.47 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.39 | 0.67 | 0.71 | 0.34 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3.8 | 4.1 | 5 | 4.0 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 20 | 19 | 25 | 24 | Getting worse |
Changes In Woking's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Woking to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Woking | 60.55 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 11% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 22% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 27% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 29% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 30% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 38% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 41% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 44% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 54% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 56% more dangerous |
Crime in Woking's Neighbourhoods
Woking Central is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Woking, followed by Knaphill in second place, and Old Woking & Westfield as the third most dangerous area. Woking's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Hook Heath, New Haw & Woodham, and West Byfleet & Pyrford North.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldsworth Park | 486 | 54 | Fifth |
| Hook Heath | 152 | 26 | Eighth |
| Knaphill | 701 | 88 | Second |
| New Haw & Woodham | 492 | 50 | Sixth |
| Old Woking & Westfield | 839 | 79 | Third |
| Sheerwater | 728 | 70 | Fourth |
| West Byfleet & Pyrford North | 435 | 48 | Seventh |
| Woking Central | 1,255 | 116 | First |
Woking Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Woking for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Hook Heath (44) | Woking Central (501) |
| Bicycle Theft | Hook Heath (2) | Woking Central (148) |
| Burglary | West Byfleet & Pyrford North (25) | Knaphill (39) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Hook Heath (12) | Old Woking & Westfield (105) |
| Drugs | Goldsworth Park (11) | Woking Central (57) |
| Other Crime | West Byfleet & Pyrford North (7) | Woking Central (28) |
| Other Theft | Hook Heath (11) | Knaphill (95) |
| Possession of Weapons | Goldsworth Park (2) | Sheerwater (8) |
| Public Order | Hook Heath (20) | Woking Central (175) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | New Haw & Woodham (2) | Knaphill (7) |
| Shoplifting | Sheerwater (3) | Woking Central (128) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Sheerwater (1) | Woking Central (18) |
| Vehicle Crime | Knaphill (21) | West Byfleet & Pyrford North (58) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Hook Heath (49) | Knaphill (328) |
Crime in Woking During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Woking change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Woking saw a 500% increase in possession of weapons. Woking saw a large fall in theft from the person during October, when it fell by 91% compared to October in 2019. Rates of burglary and vehicle crime both fell year-on-year for every month during Woking's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -13% | +119% | +61% | +46% | +33% | -4% | -26% | -23% | +17% | +61% |
| Bicycle Theft | +6% | -63% | - | -8% | +10% | -5% | -7% | +24% | -14% | -46% |
| Burglary | -36% | -79% | +4% | -36% | -29% | -39% | -38% | -38% | -14% | -55% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -45% | -32% | +2% | +2% | -1% | -27% | -34% | -8% | -22% | -2% |
| Drugs | -18% | +82% | - | +24% | -18% | -44% | +44% | +75% | -30% | +89% |
| Other Crime | +58% | -62% | +50% | +100% | +45% | -10% | +46% | +13% | -20% | -45% |
| Other Theft | -27% | -74% | -32% | -52% | +5% | +11% | -25% | -30% | -46% | -28% |
| Possession of Weapons | +20% | +500% | +67% | -78% | +400% | -40% | -25% | -33% | -50% | - |
| Public Order | +25% | -25% | +6% | -13% | +6% | +61% | +36% | -33% | -33% | +13% |
| Robbery | +50% | -67% | +25% | -83% | +25% | -67% | +100% | +33% | +200% | -22% |
| Shoplifting | -58% | -54% | -42% | -45% | +24% | +7% | -35% | -43% | -53% | -68% |
| Theft From the Person | -43% | -67% | -50% | -33% | -14% | -20% | - | -91% | - | -60% |
| Vehicle Crime | -5% | -36% | -39% | -53% | -23% | -4% | -64% | -45% | - | -32% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -10% | -9% | +8% | -17% | +2% | -6% | +9% | +8% | -5% | -22% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Woking
What police force serves Woking?
Woking's local territorial police force is the Surrey Police.How dangerous is Woking?
Woking is the safest major town in Surrey.What is Woking's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Woking are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Woking?
Woking's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021