Bracknell Forest Crime Rate January 2026 | Monthly Statistics

For every 1,000 residents in Bracknell Forest, 5 crimes were reported in January 2026 — a rate 24.2% below the UK average of 6.6 per 1,000. This translates to roughly one reported crime for every 199 residents over the course of the month, a figure that contextualises risk in everyday terms. The most common crimes were violence and sexual offences (38.6% of total), shoplifting (10.5%), and anti-social behaviour (10.2%), with the latter two categories both significantly below UK averages. The seasonal context of January, marked by post-holiday retail quiet and shorter daylight hours, likely contributes to the lower frequency of outdoor crimes compared to busier months. However, the dominance of violence and sexual offences suggests a persistent challenge in this area, potentially linked to factors such as local demographics or community dynamics. The crime rate, while lower than the UK average, remains a concern for residents, particularly given the high proportion of violent crimes. This pattern may reflect the area’s character as a mix of urban and rural environments, where social interactions in public spaces could influence such statistics. direct causal links, but the seasonal dip in retail activity may have indirectly reduced opportunities for shoplifting, though this was offset by a sharp rise in drug-related crimes.

January 2026 saw a 178.6% increase in drug-related crimes compared to December, with the category rising from 14 to 39 incidents. This surge, though still below the UK average (0.3 per 1,000), highlights a significant shift in the crime profile. Shoplifting also rose sharply by 91.7%, from 36 to 69 incidents, marking a notable departure from the previous month’s trends. In contrast, theft from the person fell by 50%, dropping from 4 to 2 cases — a reduction that may reflect heightened awareness or changes in retail security practices. The violent crime category, which accounts for 38.6% of all incidents, remains 22% below the UK average (2.4 per 1,000), suggesting that while violence is a major concern locally, its frequency is comparatively lower than in other parts of the country. Anti-social behaviour, at 0.5 per 1,000, is 45% below the UK average of 0.9 per 1,000, indicating that community-focused policing or environmental factors may be contributing to this lower rate. These fluctuations underscore the complexity of crime patterns, with some categories rising sharply while others decline, even within the same month.

The crime rate in Bracknell Forest rose by 14.3% from December 2025 (4.4 per 1,000) to January 2026 (5.0 per 1,000), a change that may reflect seasonal transitions or other local factors. On a daily basis, 21 crimes were reported each day in January, a figure that provides a concrete sense of the pace at which incidents occur in the area. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 199 residents — a monthly exposure rate that, while not negligible, is significantly lower than the UK average. This population-scaled perspective helps residents understand their risk in context: for every 1,000 people in Bracknell Forest, there are 5 crimes, compared to 6.6 in the UK as a whole. The area’s lower-than-average rates for anti-social behaviour (45% below UK), criminal damage (36% below UK), and burglary (64% below UK) suggest that certain environmental or community factors may be mitigating these types of offences. However, the sharp rise in drug-related crimes — now at 0.3 per 1,000 (11% above UK average) — indicates a growing challenge in this category that warrants attention. These comparisons highlight both the strengths and vulnerabilities in Bracknell Forest’s crime profile, offering a nuanced view of local safety.