Crime in Hitchin
Recorded crime in Hitchin is 1.2 times the North Hertfordshire average and 0.8 times 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.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Hitchin: about 23,782 residents in 18 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 5/10Average crime
- Living
- 8.5/10Excellent
- 5-year change
- −3%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.2×the North Hertfordshire average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Hitchin.
Crime over 5 years
Down 3% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Hitchin, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.2× the North Hertfordshire average (0.8× the England and Wales average). 68 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 59% of the harm here
- Burglary: 14% of the harm here
- Other theft: 7% of the harm here
Anti-social behaviour: 23 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crimes recorded in North Hertfordshire (the whole council area)
April 2025 to March 2026, for the whole North Hertfordshire council area, not only Hitchin. 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 | 107 | 0.78 | Down 24% |
| Cars broken into | 183 | 1.3 | Up 8% |
| Vandalism (homes, other buildings and vehicles) | 419 | 3.1 | Up 3% |
| Burglary of homes | 173 | 1.3 | About the same |
| Homicide (murder and manslaughter) | 0 | - | - |
Under 10 a year: no rate or change, the numbers are too small to compare.
How often crimes lead to a charge in SG5
In SG5, the postcode district at the centre of Hitchin, 8% 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) | 895 | 6% | 6% | 72% | 13% | 3% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 181 | 1% | 2% | 29% | 66% | 2% |
| Other theft | 180 | 2% | 0% | 23% | 71% | 4% |
| Public order | 169 | 8% | 5% | 56% | 26% | 5% |
| Shoplifting | 168 | 25% | 2% | 14% | 59% | 1% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 102 | 1% | 0% | 16% | 81% | 2% |
| Drugs | 66 | 18% | 36% | 24% | 6% | 15% |
| Burglary | 58 | 9% | 0% | 12% | 78% | 2% |
| Other crime | 54 | 13% | 6% | 63% | 15% | 4% |
Uses the latest outcome police have recorded so far. 4% of these crimes are still open, so the final figures may be a little higher.
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 | 0.7 |
| Burglary | 3.4 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 22.9 |
| Drugs | 2.6 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 1.0 |
| Other crime | 1.2 |
| Other theft | 8.3 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 1.5 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 3.5 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 7.6 |
| Public order | 4.9 |
| Bicycle theft | 1.6 |
| Shoplifting | 8.3 |
Postcode districts in Hitchin
Nearby towns
Council: North Hertfordshire
Questions about crime in Hitchin
- Is Hitchin a safe place to live?
- Hitchin scores 5 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.2 times the North Hertfordshire average.
- Is crime going up or down in Hitchin?
- Down 3% over 5 years, from 1,514 recorded crimes a year to 1,474.
- What is the most common crime in Hitchin?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 23 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Hitchin compare with North Hertfordshire?
- Crime severity in Hitchin is 1.2 times the North Hertfordshire average.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Hitchin?
- In SG5, the postcode district at the centre of Hitchin, 8% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 35% were closed without a suspect being identified.
- How many burglaries are solved in Hitchin?
- Of 58 burglaries reported in SG5, the postcode district at the centre of Hitchin between September 2024 and August 2025, 9% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 78% were closed with no suspect identified.
- How many cars are stolen in Hitchin?
- In North Hertfordshire, the council area Hitchin is in, the police recorded 107 cars stolen in 2025/26 (April 2025 to March 2026), 0.8 per 1,000 residents, down 24% on the year before.
- Is vandalism common in Hitchin?
- 419 acts of vandalism to homes, other buildings and vehicles were recorded in 2025/26, in North Hertfordshire, the council area Hitchin is in, 3.1 per 1,000 residents, 0.6 times the England and Wales average.
- How many murders were there in Hitchin last year?
- No homicides (murder or manslaughter) were recorded in 2025/26, in North Hertfordshire, the council area Hitchin is in, against 1 the year before.