Marlborough Crime Overview
Marlborough is among the top 10 safest small towns in Wiltshire, and is the 79th most dangerous overall out of Wiltshire's 276 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Marlborough in 2020 was 40 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Wiltshire's overall crime rate, coming in 30% lower than the Wiltshire rate of 52 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Marlborough is the 252nd safest small town, and the 4,360th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In May 2020, Marlborough was the worst small town in Wiltshire for bicycle theft, with 4 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.47 per 1,000 inhabitants. June 2019 was also a bad month for Marlborough residents, when it was Wiltshire's most dangerous small town for theft from the person, recording 2 crimes at a rate of 0.23 per 1,000 residents. Marlborough recorded 6 reports of drugs during September 2019, making its crime rate of 0.70 the worst small town for drugs in Wiltshire that month.
The most common crimes in Marlborough are violence and sexual offences, with 151 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 18. This is 9% higher than 2019's figure of 138 offences and a difference of 1.53 from 2019's crime rate of 16. Marlborough's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 1 offence recorded in 2020, a decrease of 400% from 2019's figure of 5 crimes.
Compare Marlborough to other towns and cities
See how Marlborough shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Marlborough and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Marlborough Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Marlborough This Year
| Marlborough | Wiltshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 127 | 14.88 | 14,474 | 20.06 | 35% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 10 | 1.17 | 526 | 0.73 | 38% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 14 | 1.64 | 1,947 | 2.70 | 65% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 34 | 3.98 | 4,907 | 6.80 | 71% safer |
| Drugs | 18 | 2.11 | 1,534 | 2.13 | 0.95% safer |
| Other Crime | 8 | 0.94 | 831 | 1.15 | 22% safer |
| Other Theft | 30 | 3.52 | 2,830 | 3.92 | 11% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1 | 0.12 | 293 | 0.41 | 242% safer |
| Public Order | 28 | 3.28 | 3,362 | 4.66 | 42% safer |
| Shoplifting | 25 | 2.93 | 2,458 | 3.41 | 16% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 1 | 0.12 | 205 | 0.28 | 133% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 23 | 2.70 | 2,186 | 3.03 | 12% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 151 | 17.70 | 16,322 | 22.62 | 28% safer |
Crime in Marlborough Compared To Wiltshire
Marlborough Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratton St Margaret | 660 | 29.24 | 37% safer |
| Blunsdon St Andrew | 535 | 31.53 | 27% safer |
| Corsham | 447 | 32.61 | 23% safer |
| Tidworth | 485 | 37.04 | 9% safer |
| Bradford-on-Avon | 390 | 38.96 | 3.2% safer |
| Marlborough | 343 | 40.20 | - |
| Wroughton | 328 | 40.99 | 1.9% more dangerous |
| Melksham Without | 387 | 43.18 | 7% more dangerous |
| Calne | 795 | 43.19 | 7% more dangerous |
| Highworth | 347 | 43.27 | 7% more dangerous |
| Laverstock | 393 | 43.97 | 9% more dangerous |
Marlborough Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 16 | 15 | 20 | 15 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.35 | 0.12 | 0.70 | 1.2 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 5 | 6 | 3.0 | 1.6 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4.0 | Safer |
| Drugs | 0.82 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 2.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.82 | 0.82 | 1.0 | 0.94 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 8 | 8 | 3.5 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.12 | 0.35 | 0.59 | 0.12 | Safer |
| Public Order | 2.6 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.3 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 9 | 11 | 2.9 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.0 | 0.70 | 1.2 | 0.12 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 4.6 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 2.7 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 18 | 16 | 16 | 18 | Getting worse |
Changes In Marlborough's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Marlborough to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Marlborough | 40.20 | - |
| 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 Marlborough's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlborough | 343 | 40 | First |
Crime in Marlborough During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Marlborough change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in July, when Marlborough saw a 400% increase in vehicle crime. Marlborough saw a large fall in shoplifting during July, when it fell by 92% compared to July in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -69% | -33% | -44% | -56% | -38% | +127% | +45% | -23% | -57% | +100% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | +300% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Burglary | -50% | - | - | -33% | - | - | -50% | - | - | -67% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | - | -67% | -40% | +33% | -20% | -17% | - | -50% | -67% | -80% |
| Drugs | - | -75% | - | +33% | -60% | - | - | - | -50% | - |
| Other Crime | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Theft | -60% | -75% | -83% | -33% | -57% | -73% | -70% | - | +50% | - |
| Public Order | +100% | -75% | -20% | +100% | +50% | +50% | - | - | - | - |
| Shoplifting | -71% | - | -75% | -70% | -92% | -70% | -67% | -75% | -86% | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -25% | - | - | - | +400% | - | - | +150% | - | - |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +80% | -38% | -56% | -63% | -22% | -7% | -14% | +45% | +50% | +86% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Marlborough
What police force serves Marlborough?
Marlborough's local territorial police force is the Wiltshire Police.How dangerous is Marlborough?
Marlborough is among the top 10 safest small towns in Wiltshire.What is Marlborough's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Marlborough are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Marlborough?
Marlborough's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021