Crime in Oxford
Recorded crime in Oxford is about the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 3%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
166,034 residents in 84 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 4/10Above average crime
- Safety in the world
- 7/10Low crime
- Living
- 7.2/10Good
- 5-year change
- −3%fewer crimes
Crime over 5 years
Down 3% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Oxford, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: about the England and Wales average. 95 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 58% of the harm here
- Burglary: 14% of the harm here
- Other theft: 6% of the harm here
Anti-social behaviour: 11 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.9 |
| Burglary | 4.7 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 30.8 |
| Drugs | 3.6 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 0.9 |
| Other crime | 1.4 |
| Other theft | 9.7 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 3.1 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 5.9 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 7.4 |
| Public order | 8.1 |
| Bicycle theft | 8.8 |
| Shoplifting | 9.9 |
What crimes are recorded in Oxford
96.4 crimes per 1,000 residents were recorded in Oxford in 2025/26 (England and Wales: 83.2).
Our total for April 2025 to March 2026: 15,987. Home Office recorded crime: 16,003 (0% apart).
Crimes recorded by the police, April 2025 to March 2026. Source: Home Office, police recorded crime by community safety partnership.
| Type | Crimes in 2025/26 | Per 1,000 residents | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cars stolen | 161 | 0.97 | Down 6% |
| Cars broken into | 440 | 2.7 | Down 24% |
| Vehicle tampering | 112 | 0.67 | Up 10% |
| Vandalism to homes | 187 | 1.1 | Down 10% |
| Vandalism to other buildings | 200 | 1.2 | Down 6% |
| Vandalism to vehicles | 315 | 1.9 | Down 11% |
| Arson | 65 | 0.39 | Up 18% |
| Burglary of homes | 245 | 1.5 | Down 22% |
| Burglary of businesses | 147 | 0.89 | Down 48% |
| Homicide (murder and manslaughter) | 1 | - | - |
| Carrying a knife or blade | 92 | 0.55 | Down 21% |
| Carrying other weapons (including guns) | 77 | 0.46 | Down 3% |
| Robbery of people | 116 | 0.70 | Up 22% |
| Robbery of businesses | 104 | 0.63 | Up 49% |
| Violence with injury | 1,345 | 8.1 | Down 3% |
| Violence without injury | 2,442 | 14.7 | Up 2% |
| Stalking and harassment | 1,305 | 7.9 | Up 2% |
| Sexual offences | 649 | 3.9 | Up 10% |
| Shoplifting | 2,127 | 12.8 | Down 21% |
| Bicycle theft | 924 | 5.6 | Down 20% |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 348 | 2.1 | Down 41% |
| Drug dealing | 252 | 1.5 | Down 35% |
| Drug possession | 636 | 3.8 | Up 12% |
Under 10 a year: no rate or change, the numbers are too small to compare. These are council-area figures: police.uk street-level data, used for the map and the Safety score, only has the broad categories, and no source publishes murders or stabbings by street.
Thames Valley Police area: 920 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument in 2025/26 (1,005 the year before). This covers the whole police force area, not only Oxford.
Source: Home Office, police recorded knife crime by police force.
How often crimes lead to a charge
In Oxford, 12% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%).
- Charged or summonsed
- Caution or other action
- Suspect found, not prosecuted
- No suspect identified
- Still open
Show as a table
| Type | Crimes | Charged or summonsed | Caution or other action | Suspect found, not prosecuted | No suspect identified | Still open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 5,787 | 8% | 11% | 59% | 15% | 8% |
| Shoplifting | 2,543 | 33% | 3% | 9% | 53% | 2% |
| Other theft | 1,566 | 2% | 2% | 19% | 73% | 4% |
| Public order | 1,399 | 8% | 7% | 49% | 32% | 4% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 1,105 | 6% | 8% | 28% | 55% | 4% |
| Bicycle theft | 1,008 | 6% | 1% | 7% | 85% | 1% |
| Drugs | 818 | 12% | 45% | 9% | 29% | 5% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 726 | 3% | 1% | 13% | 82% | 2% |
| Burglary | 610 | 12% | 0% | 21% | 59% | 7% |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 492 | 2% | 0% | 12% | 84% | 2% |
| Other crime | 275 | 19% | 10% | 50% | 13% | 9% |
| Robbery | 209 | 21% | 1% | 45% | 28% | 5% |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 185 | 43% | 11% | 32% | 4% | 10% |
Uses the latest outcome police have recorded so far. 5% of these crimes are still open, so the final figures may be a little higher.
Towns and cities in Oxford
Postcode districts in Oxford
Questions about crime in Oxford
- Is Oxford a safe place to live?
- Oxford scores 4 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in Oxford?
- Down 3% over 5 years, from 16,625 recorded crimes a year to 16,134.
- What is the most common crime in Oxford?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 31 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Oxford?
- In Oxford, 12% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 42% were closed without a suspect being identified.
- How many burglaries are solved in Oxford?
- Of 610 burglaries reported in Oxford between September 2024 and August 2025, 12% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 59% were closed with no suspect identified.
- How many cars are stolen in Oxford?
- In Oxford, the police recorded 161 cars stolen in 2025/26 (April 2025 to March 2026), 1.0 per 1,000 residents, down 6% on the year before.
- Is vandalism common in Oxford?
- 702 acts of vandalism to homes, other buildings and vehicles were recorded in Oxford in 2025/26, 4.2 per 1,000 residents, 0.9 times the England and Wales average.
- How many murders were there in Oxford last year?
- 1 homicide (murder or manslaughter) was recorded in Oxford in 2025/26, against 0 the year before.