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.
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 / Town | Rate | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxford Oxfordshire | 6.1 | +3.3% |
| 2 | Cambridge Cambridgeshire | 4.9 | +2.9% |
| 3 | Hackney Inner London | 3.8 | -1.0% |
| 4 | Lambeth Inner London | 3.8 | -1.1% |
| 5 | Southwark Inner London | 3.0 | +3.3% |
| 6 | Kingston upon Hull, City of | 3.0 | +5.5% |
| 7 | Wandsworth Inner London | 2.7 | +1.5% |
| 8 | Lincoln Lincolnshire | 2.6 | +9.0% |
| 9 | Tower Hamlets Inner London | 2.6 | +2.1% |
| 10 | Hammersmith and Fulham Inner London | 2.5 | -1.3% |
Lowest Bicycle Theft Rates
Annual rate per 1,000 residents
| # | City / Town | Rate | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hertsmere Hertfordshire | 0.1 | +2.6% |
| 2 | Hyndburn Lancashire | 0.1 | -20.8% |
| 3 | Dorset | 0.1 | -7.0% |
| 4 | Harrogate | 0.1 | -6.2% |
| 5 | High Peak Derbyshire | 0.1 | -1.4% |
| 6 | Horsham West Sussex | 0.1 | +3.4% |
| 7 | Allerdale | 0.1 | +29250.0% |
| 8 | Cornwall | 0.1 | -0.1% |
| 9 | East Hampshire Hampshire | 0.1 | -10.5% |
| 10 | Isle 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
Other Crime Types
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bicycle theft incidents are recorded in England and Wales each year? expand_more
Which city has the highest bicycle theft rate in the UK? expand_more
Is bicycle theft increasing or decreasing in England and Wales? expand_more
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Data: Police.uk (OGL v3.0) · Population: ONS Census 2021 · Methodology · Editorial Standards