Crime in Thatcham
Recorded crime in Thatcham is about the West Berkshire average and 0.6 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 4%. 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 Thatcham: about 21,278 residents in 17 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 7/10Low crime
- Living
- 7.2/10Good
- 5-year change
- −4%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.0×the West Berkshire average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Thatcham.
Crime over 5 years
Down 4% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Thatcham, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: about the West Berkshire average (0.6× the England and Wales average). 51 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 71% of the harm here
- Burglary: 9% of the harm here
- Drugs: 5% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 71% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 12 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crimes recorded in West Berkshire (the whole council area)
April 2025 to March 2026, for the whole West Berkshire council area, not only Thatcham. 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 | 151 | 0.91 | Up 11% |
| Cars broken into | 256 | 1.6 | Down 18% |
| Vandalism (homes, other buildings and vehicles) | 562 | 3.4 | Down 4% |
| Burglary of homes | 98 | 0.59 | Down 30% |
| 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 RG19
In RG19, the postcode district at the centre of Thatcham, 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) | 580 | 9% | 19% | 55% | 9% | 8% |
| Shoplifting | 116 | 16% | 4% | 20% | 57% | 3% |
| Public order | 102 | 2% | 17% | 41% | 35% | 5% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 76 | 4% | 9% | 22% | 63% | 1% |
| Other theft | 65 | 2% | 3% | 22% | 65% | 9% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 55 | 18% | 2% | 20% | 53% | 7% |
| Burglary | 52 | 2% | 0% | 17% | 73% | 8% |
Uses the latest outcome police have recorded so far. 7% 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 | 0.3 |
| Burglary | 1.7 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 22.4 |
| Drugs | 2.4 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 0.4 |
| Other crime | 1.1 |
| Other theft | 3.3 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 0.5 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 2.6 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 5.9 |
| Public order | 4.3 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.9 |
| Shoplifting | 5.1 |
Postcode districts in Thatcham
Nearby towns
Council: West Berkshire
Questions about crime in Thatcham
- Is Thatcham a safe place to live?
- Thatcham scores 7 out of 10 for safety (low crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is about the West Berkshire average.
- Is crime going up or down in Thatcham?
- Down 4% over 5 years, from 1,208 recorded crimes a year to 1,156.
- What is the most common crime in Thatcham?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 22 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Thatcham compare with West Berkshire?
- Crime severity in Thatcham is about the West Berkshire average.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Thatcham?
- In RG19, the postcode district at the centre of Thatcham, 8% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 30% were closed without a suspect being identified.
- How many burglaries are solved in Thatcham?
- Of 52 burglaries reported in RG19, the postcode district at the centre of Thatcham between September 2024 and August 2025, 2% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 73% were closed with no suspect identified.
- How many cars are stolen in Thatcham?
- In West Berkshire, the council area Thatcham is in, the police recorded 151 cars stolen in 2025/26 (April 2025 to March 2026), 0.9 per 1,000 residents, up 11% on the year before.
- Is vandalism common in Thatcham?
- 562 acts of vandalism to homes, other buildings and vehicles were recorded in 2025/26, in West Berkshire, the council area Thatcham is in, 3.4 per 1,000 residents, 0.7 times the England and Wales average.
- How many murders were there in Thatcham last year?
- No homicides (murder or manslaughter) were recorded in 2025/26, in West Berkshire, the council area Thatcham is in, against 0 the year before.