Updated March 2026England & Walestrending_down -5.6% year-on-year

Bicycle Theft Statistics UK 2026

England and Wales recorded 48,055 bicycle theft incidents in the last 12 months — a rate of 0.8 per 1,000 residents. The highest rate is in Cambridge at 6.5 per 1,000.

Data Sources:Police.ukONS Census 2021HM Land Registry

48,055

12-Month Total

England & Wales

0.8

Annual Rate

per 1,000 residents

-5.6%

Year-on-Year

vs previous 12 months

Cambridge

Highest Rate

6.5 per 1k

24-Month National Trend

Highest Bicycle Theft Rates

Annual rate per 1,000 residents

#	City / Town	Rate	YoY
1	Cambridge Cambridgeshire	6.5	-0.9%
2	Oxford Oxfordshire	4.0	-12.2%
3	Hackney Inner London	3.4	-0.7%
4	Southwark Inner London	3.0	-3.2%
5	Islington Inner London	2.9	-2.5%
6	Lambeth Inner London	2.7	+10.2%
7	Cardiff	2.6	-14.2%
8	Kingston upon Hull, City of	2.4	+4.8%
9	Norwich Norfolk	2.4	+1.5%
10	Wandsworth Inner London	2.4	-2.1%

Lowest Bicycle Theft Rates

Annual rate per 1,000 residents

#	City / Town	Rate	YoY
1	Flintshire	0.1	+1.7%
2	Fylde Lancashire	0.1	-13.9%
3	Denbighshire	0.1	-12.4%
4	Epping Forest Essex	0.1	-6.2%
5	Bromsgrove Worcestershire	0.1	-3.4%
6	Babergh Suffolk	0.1	-4.3%
7	Dacorum Hertfordshire	0.1	-16.1%
8	Bolsover Derbyshire	0.1	+4.7%
9	East Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire	0.1	+3.3%
10	Gateshead Tyne and Wear	0.1	-29.2%

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

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Other Crime Types

Anti-Social Behaviour Burglary Criminal Damage And Arson Drugs Other Crime Other Theft Possession Of Weapons Public Order Robbery Shoplifting Theft From The Person Vehicle Crime Violence And Sexual Offences

Frequently Asked Questions

How many bicycle theft incidents are recorded in England and Wales each year? expand_more

In the 12 months to 2026-03, 48,055 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

Cambridge has the highest bicycle theft rate at 6.5 per 1,000 residents annually.

Is bicycle theft increasing or decreasing in England and Wales? expand_more

Bicycle Theft has decreased by 5.6% compared to the same period last year.

Which UK city has the lowest bicycle theft rate? expand_more

Gateshead 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