Crime in Oxford
Recorded crime in Oxford is about the Oxford council average and about the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 6%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
Within 3 km of the centre of Oxford: about 78,824 residents in 52 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 4/10Above average crime
- Living
- 7.6/10Good
- 5-year change
- −6%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.0×the Oxford council average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 3 km of the centre of Oxford.
Crime over 5 years
Down 6% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 3 km of Oxford, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: about the Oxford council average (about the England and Wales average). 101 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 56% of the harm here
- Burglary: 15% of the harm here
- Other theft: 7% 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.
Crimes recorded in Oxford (the whole council area)
April 2025 to March 2026, for the whole Oxford council area, not only the city of Oxford. 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% |
| Vandalism (homes, other buildings and vehicles) | 702 | 4.2 | Down 9% |
| Burglary of homes | 245 | 1.5 | Down 22% |
| Homicide (murder and manslaughter) | 1 | - | - |
Under 10 a year: no rate or change, the numbers are too small to compare.
How often crimes lead to a charge in OX1
In OX1, the postcode district at the centre of Oxford, 11% 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) | 1,404 | 10% | 12% | 51% | 21% | 6% |
| Shoplifting | 791 | 22% | 4% | 9% | 64% | 1% |
| Other theft | 475 | 2% | 2% | 16% | 76% | 3% |
| Public order | 413 | 13% | 6% | 45% | 31% | 4% |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 360 | 2% | 0% | 9% | 88% | 1% |
| Bicycle theft | 328 | 3% | 0% | 5% | 91% | 1% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 183 | 10% | 13% | 19% | 52% | 6% |
| Drugs | 150 | 17% | 69% | 6% | 5% | 3% |
| Burglary | 105 | 16% | 1% | 20% | 55% | 8% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 91 | 2% | 2% | 12% | 81% | 2% |
| Robbery | 72 | 25% | 0% | 46% | 25% | 4% |
| Other crime | 61 | 25% | 8% | 43% | 15% | 10% |
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 | 0.9 |
| Burglary | 5.0 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 29.3 |
| Drugs | 3.6 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 0.9 |
| Other crime | 1.3 |
| Other theft | 11.4 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 4.4 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 5.5 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 6.8 |
| Public order | 8.7 |
| Bicycle theft | 12.9 |
| Shoplifting | 10.3 |
Postcode districts in Oxford
Nearby towns
Council: 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. Crime severity is about the Oxford council average.
- Is crime going up or down in Oxford?
- Down 6% over 5 years, from 8,238 recorded crimes a year to 7,760.
- What is the most common crime in Oxford?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 29 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Oxford compare with Oxford council?
- Crime severity in Oxford is about the Oxford council average.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Oxford?
- In OX1, the postcode district at the centre of Oxford, 11% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 48% were closed without a suspect being identified.
- How many burglaries are solved in Oxford?
- Of 105 burglaries reported in OX1, the postcode district at the centre of Oxford between September 2024 and August 2025, 16% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 55% were closed with no suspect identified.
- How many cars are stolen in Oxford?
- In the Oxford council area, 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 2025/26, in the Oxford council area, 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 2025/26, in the Oxford council area, against 0 the year before. Police data does not say where in the area they happened.