Swindon is the most dangerous city in Wiltshire, and is the 32nd most dangerous overall out of Wiltshire's 272 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Swindon in 2021 was 66 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Wiltshire's overall crime rate, coming in 20% higher than the Wiltshire rate of 53 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Swindon is among the top 20 safest cities, and the 1,710th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2021, Swindon had the worst crime rate in Wiltshire for bicycle theft, with 29 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.15 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2021 was also a bad month for Swindon residents, when it was Wiltshire's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 35 crimes at a rate of 0.18 per 1,000 residents. Swindon recorded 99 reports of criminal damage and arson during December 2021, making its crime rate of 0.51 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Wiltshire that month.
The most common crimes in Swindon are violence and sexual offences, with 5,868 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 30. This is 6% higher than 2020's figure of 5,519 offences and a difference of 1.82 from 2020's crime rate of 29. Swindon's least common crime is theft from the person, with 84 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 25% from 2020's figure of 105 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Cities, Wiltshire
12% higher, regional crime rate
South West
10% lower, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Swindon is 12% higher than the South West and 10% lower than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Swindon | |
| South West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Swindon 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 | 66 | 12,778 |
| 2020 | 66 | 12,680 |
| 2019 | 78 | 15,086 |
| 2018 | 80 | 15,317 |
| 2017 | 87 | 16,793 |
| 2016 | 80 | 15,406 |
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| Swindon | Wiltshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 4,959 | 25.77 | 15,273 | 21.16 | 18% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 334 | 1.74 | 617 | 0.85 | 51% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 438 | 2.28 | 1,598 | 2.21 | 3.1% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,423 | 7.40 | 4,970 | 6.89 | 7% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 428 | 2.22 | 1,120 | 1.55 | 30% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 227 | 1.18 | 740 | 1.03 | 13% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 811 | 4.22 | 2,888 | 4.00 | 5% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 161 | 0.84 | 358 | 0.50 | 40% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,227 | 6.38 | 3,665 | 5.08 | 20% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 146 | 0.76 | 273 | 0.38 | 50% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 990 | 5.15 | 2,487 | 3.45 | 33% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 84 | 0.44 | 199 | 0.28 | 36% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 641 | 3.33 | 1,883 | 2.61 | 22% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 5,868 | 30.50 | 17,724 | 24.56 | 19% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Parking Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Supermarket | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Supermarket | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Whitbourne Avenue | Action to be taken by another organisation |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Gable Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Tryon Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Romsey Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Buckingham Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Burglary | On or near Hatton Grove | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Burglary | On or near Tydeman Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Colbourne Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Callenders | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Moresby Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Bothwell Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Augusta Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Dalton Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Parking Area | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Pedestrian Subway | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near The Moorings | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 33 | 33 | 27 | 26 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.5 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 1.7 | Safer |
| Burglary | 6 | 5 | 2.8 | 2.3 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.1 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 7 | 6 | 4.2 | 4.2 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.78 | 0.93 | 0.55 | 0.84 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.0 | 0.82 | 0.73 | 0.76 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 11 | 11 | 5 | 5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.77 | 0.96 | 0.55 | 0.44 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 5 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 3.3 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Swindon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambria Recreation Ground | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 9 |
| King George's Field | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 | 0 | 4.9 |
| The Park | 13 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.3 |
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 39.93 | 66% safer |
| Birmingham | 49.60 | 34% safer |
| Swindon | 66.41 | - |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 1.00% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 19% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 90.03 | 26% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 27% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 40% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 46% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 50% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 56% more dangerous |
Central South & Eastcott is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Swindon, followed by Central North in second place, and Walcot East as the third most dangerous area. Swindon's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Covingham, Haydon Wick, and Mouldon Hill & Oakhurst.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Park | 310 | 38 | 19th |
| Central East & Walcot West | 605 | 79 | Eighth |
| Central North | 1,302 | 123 | Second |
| Central South & Eastcott | 1,216 | 139 | First |
| Covingham | 274 | 33 | 22nd |
| Eldene & Dorcan | 392 | 48 | 17th |
| Freshbrook South & Toothill | 637 | 74 | Tenth |
| Gorse Hill | 649 | 91 | Fifth |
| Groundwell & Abbey Meads | 512 | 53 | 15th |
| Haydon Wick | 201 | 30 | 23rd |
| Kingshill & Okus | 485 | 56 | 12th |
| Lawn & East Wichel | 641 | 70 | 11th |
| Lower Stratton | 552 | 55 | 13th |
| Moredon | 336 | 47 | 18th |
| Mouldon Hill & Oakhurst | 319 | 33 | 21st |
| Park North & Park South | 690 | 79 | Ninth |
| Penhill | 678 | 109 | Fourth |
| Pinehurst | 535 | 84 | Seventh |
| Rodbourne & Cheney Manor | 920 | 87 | Sixth |
| Roughmoor | 212 | 36 | 20th |
| Upper Stratton | 477 | 52 | 16th |
| Walcot East | 779 | 116 | Third |
| Westlea & Shaw | 327 | 55 | 14th |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Swindon for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Mouldon Hill & Oakhurst (100) | Central South & Eastcott (565) |
| Bicycle Theft | Roughmoor (1) | Central South & Eastcott (45) |
| Burglary | Mouldon Hill & Oakhurst (4) | Rodbourne & Cheney Manor (52) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Covingham (19) | Penhill (112) |
| Drugs | Mouldon Hill & Oakhurst (4) | Walcot East (38) |
| Other Crime | Covingham (2) | Penhill (17) |
| Other Theft | Roughmoor (4) | Central South & Eastcott (74) |
| Possession of Weapons | Haydon Wick (1) | Walcot East (17) |
| Public Order | Mouldon Hill & Oakhurst (22) | Central South & Eastcott (151) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Eldene & Dorcan (1) | Central North (33) |
| Shoplifting | Mouldon Hill & Oakhurst (1) | Central South & Eastcott (185) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Mouldon Hill & Oakhurst (1) | Central North (19) |
| Vehicle Crime | Abbey Park (10) | Central East & Walcot West (50) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Haydon Wick (100) | Walcot East (395) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Swindon change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in December, when Swindon saw a 105% increase in drugs. Swindon saw a large fall in possession of weapons during March, when it fell by 75% compared to March in 2019. Swindon saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson, and possession of weapons.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -31% | +15% | -12% | -29% | -30% | -4% | -8% | -33% | -22% | -14% |
| Bicycle Theft | -74% | -68% | -63% | -36% | -47% | -40% | -13% | -58% | -24% | -38% |
| Burglary | -35% | -23% | -62% | -56% | -26% | -37% | -54% | -62% | -64% | -7% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -5% | -26% | -54% | -7% | +27% | -22% | -14% | -14% | -34% | -13% |
| Drugs | -27% | +59% | +37% | +32% | +17% | -38% | -14% | -20% | +23% | +105% |
| Other Crime | +28% | -11% | -31% | -30% | +9% | +21% | +18% | +80% | - | -46% |
| Other Theft | -28% | -57% | -49% | -18% | -13% | -29% | -38% | -36% | -29% | -35% |
| Possession of Weapons | -75% | -36% | -65% | -57% | -7% | -71% | - | -21% | -27% | -53% |
| Public Order | +6% | +8% | +2% | +21% | +38% | +21% | +19% | +26% | -15% | -12% |
| Robbery | -6% | -73% | -52% | +8% | +50% | +38% | +46% | +5% | -44% | -47% |
| Shoplifting | -39% | -71% | -68% | -60% | -51% | -57% | -53% | -63% | -54% | -52% |
| Theft From the Person | -39% | -70% | -64% | -60% | -50% | -24% | -42% | -62% | -67% | -58% |
| Vehicle Crime | +10% | -54% | -54% | -17% | +1% | -40% | -14% | +21% | -29% | -2% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -3% | -18% | -5% | +2% | +5% | +1% | +4% | +4% | -7% | -7% |
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