Updated April 2026England & Walestrending_down -5.5% year-on-year

Bicycle Theft Statistics UK 2026

England and Wales recorded 47,829 bicycle theft incidents in the last 12 months — a rate of 0.8 per 1,000 residents. The highest rate is in Oxford at 6.1 per 1,000.

Data Sources:Police.ukONS Census 2021HM Land Registry

47,829

12-Month Total

England & Wales

0.8

Annual Rate

per 1,000 residents

-5.5%

Year-on-Year

vs previous 12 months

Oxford

Highest Rate

6.1 per 1k

24-Month National Trend

Highest Bicycle Theft Rates

Annual rate per 1,000 residents

#City / TownRateYoY
1Oxford

Oxfordshire

6.1
+3.3%
2Cambridge

Cambridgeshire

4.9
+2.9%
3Hackney

Inner London

3.8
-1.0%
4Lambeth

Inner London

3.8
-1.1%
5Southwark

Inner London

3.0
+3.3%
6Kingston upon Hull, City of
3.0
+5.5%
7Wandsworth

Inner London

2.7
+1.5%
8Lincoln

Lincolnshire

2.6
+9.0%
9Tower Hamlets

Inner London

2.6
+2.1%
10Hammersmith and Fulham

Inner London

2.5
-1.3%

Lowest Bicycle Theft Rates

Annual rate per 1,000 residents

#City / TownRateYoY
1Hertsmere

Hertfordshire

0.1
+2.6%
2Hyndburn

Lancashire

0.1
-20.8%
3Dorset
0.1
-7.0%
4Harrogate
0.1
-6.2%
5High Peak

Derbyshire

0.1
-1.4%
6Horsham

West Sussex

0.1
+3.4%
7Allerdale
0.1
+29250.0%
8Cornwall
0.1
-0.1%
9East Hampshire

Hampshire

0.1
-10.5%
10Isle of Wight
0.1
-7.1%

What is Bicycle Theft?

Bicycle theft covers the taking of a pedal cycle without the owner's consent, recorded under the Theft Act 1968. England and Wales record over 57,000 bicycle thefts annually, with London, Bristol, Cambridge, and Oxford consistently reporting the highest rates due to cycling culture and dense urban environments. The rate of recovery is low — fewer than 5% of stolen bicycles are returned to their owners.

Data source: Police.uk (Open Government Licence v3.0) · Methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

How many bicycle theft incidents are recorded in England and Wales each year? expand_more
In the 12 months to 2026-04, 47,829 bicycle theft incidents were recorded in England and Wales — a rate of 0.8 per 1,000 residents.
Which city has the highest bicycle theft rate in the UK? expand_more
Oxford has the highest bicycle theft rate at 6.1 per 1,000 residents annually.
Is bicycle theft increasing or decreasing in England and Wales? expand_more
Bicycle Theft has decreased by 5.5% compared to the same period last year.
Which UK city has the lowest bicycle theft rate? expand_more
Isle of Wight records the lowest bicycle theft rate among UK cities at 0.1 per 1,000 residents.

Data: Police.uk (OGL v3.0) · Population: ONS Census 2021 · Methodology · Editorial Standards