Thetford Crime Rate

Thetford, an urban settlement within Breckland, has an overall crime rate of 96.6 per 1,000 people for the period ending November 2025. This figure is slightly higher than the UK national average of 91.7, contributing to a safety score of 77/100, which is just below the national average of 79. However, the town is seeing a significant positive trend, with crime decreasing by 12.0% year-over-year. This downward trajectory is an encouraging sign for the local community. The following sections provide a detailed breakdown of crime types, time-based patterns, and practical safety advice for those living in or visiting Thetford.

Thetford's crime profile is primarily defined by three categories: violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, and criminal damage and arson. Violence and sexual offences are the most common, with 951 incidents (38.9% of the total). Anti-social behaviour accounts for 407 reports (16.6%), while criminal damage and arson makes up 10.0% with 244 reported crimes.

Property crime in Thetford, which includes burglary, theft, and vehicle crime, has a combined rate of 27.8 per 1,000 people. This includes 80 vehicle crimes and 47 burglaries. While these figures are lower than the national average for property crime (32.3), they still represent a significant concern for residents. The data suggests that opportunistic theft and vandalism are the primary property-related risks. For homeowners, this underscores the necessity of securing vehicles and ensuring that home entry points are reinforced. The presence of shoplifting (6.3%) and other theft (5.3%) also indicates that commercial and public spaces require ongoing vigilance to protect personal and business property.

Thetford is experiencing a notable downward trend in crime, with a 12.0% year-over-year decrease. Analysis of the monthly crime rate per 1,000 people from December 2024 to November 2025 shows a peak in August at 9.5 and July at 9.4, followed by a general decline towards the end of the year, reaching 7.3 in November. The year began with a rate of 6.4 in December and 9.8 in January, suggesting that while there are monthly fluctuations, the overall trajectory is moving in a positive direction. This significant double-digit decrease is a strong indicator that local crime prevention efforts and community awareness are having a tangible impact on reducing the total volume of offences in the town.

How To Keep Safe in Thetford

As violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type in Thetford, personal safety awareness is paramount. When walking through the town centre or residential areas at night, stick to well-lit main roads and avoid shortcuts through parks or unlit alleys. If possible, travel in groups and ensure someone knows your expected arrival time.

To address the high rate of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage, residents should ensure their homes have good 'natural surveillance'—keep front hedges low and install motion-activated lighting around entry points. For vehicle safety, which peaks during the night-time hours, always park in a garage or a well-lit area if possible, and never leave valuables on display. Given the town's decreasing crime trend, staying active in local community watch groups can help maintain this positive momentum by reporting suspicious activity promptly to the police. For businesses, being part of a local retail crime initiative can help mitigate the impact of shoplifting.

In Thetford, crime patterns fluctuate significantly throughout the day. The afternoon (12pm-6pm) is the busiest time for theft-related offences, accounting for 42% of crimes in that period, likely due to town centre footfall. As the day transitions into evening (6pm-12am), there is a notable shift toward 'other' crimes, which includes anti-social behaviour and public order offences, making up 63% of reports. The night-time hours (12am-6am) see a distinct change in focus, with vehicle crime surging to 32% of reported incidents, the highest for any period. Burglary also peaks during the night at 12%, suggesting that criminals take advantage of the cover of darkness and the fact that residents are asleep. Morning hours (6am-12pm) are relatively quieter but still see a high proportion of theft (38%). For residents, this means that while daytime vigilance is needed in commercial areas, the primary risk to home and vehicle security occurs overnight.

In the context of the local region, Thetford's crime rate of 96.6 per 1,000 people is higher than its nearest neighbour, Brandon, which sits at 77.3. This is expected given Thetford's larger population and role as a commercial hub. In contrast, nearby rural settlements like Barnham, Fakenham Magna, and Longfield Green show effectively no recorded crime in this data set. This highlights the typical disparity between urban towns and the surrounding rural villages, where Thetford experiences the higher crime volumes common to more populated areas while still following a strong overall decreasing trend.

With a property crime rate of 27.8 per 1,000 people, Thetford residents should consider the limitations of traditional security. Most standard cameras are reactive; they provide a recording of a crime that has already happened. In an area where vehicle crime and burglary are present, proactive protection is far more effective. scOS is an AI-powered system designed to stop crime before it occurs. By monitoring your property's perimeter, it can detect a threat the moment someone steps onto your land. The system uses intelligent pattern learning to recognise your family and deliveries, only alerting you to real threats. When a suspicious person is detected, scOS can autonomously trigger lights or speakers, destroying the element of surprise and making most burglars move on within seconds. For Thetford homeowners, this shift from recording to preventing is the key to true peace of mind.