Bicester Crime Rate May 2025 | Monthly Statistics

In May 2025, Bicester's crime rate of 6.0 per 1,000 residents placed it 25.9% below the UK average, a figure that highlights the area's comparative safety. However, the crime profile reveals a complex balance between property and violent crimes, with property offences dominating at 51% of all reported incidents. Violence and sexual offences (79 cases) accounted for 33.9% of total crimes, slightly below the UK average for this category (2.8 per 1,000 vs 2.0 per 1,000). This suggests that while Bicester is safer than average in terms of violent crime, the town's retail and commercial hubs—such as its historic high street and shopping centres—remain hotspots for property-related offences. Shoplifting, at 1.8 per 1,000 (29.6% of all crimes), was 169% above the UK average, a stark anomaly that may reflect the concentration of retail activity in the area. Seasonal factors in May, including longer evenings and increased outdoor socialising, likely contribute to this dynamic, as they create environments conducive to both property crimes and public order issues. The relatively low rates of other theft, criminal damage, and public order offences (all below UK averages) indicate that Bicester's crime picture is not uniformly high, but rather characterised by specific vulnerabilities in commercial spaces. This pattern may also reflect the town's role as a commuter hub and its mix of urban and semi-rural characteristics, which influence the types of crime that dominate.

May 2025 saw sharp increases in burglary (+166.7%) and robbery (+100%), with burglary rising from three to eight incidents. These spikes, though small in absolute terms, may partly reflect seasonal shifts as longer evenings encourage outdoor activity. Conversely, vehicle crime fell by 60% (from five to two), a decline consistent with reduced car usage during May bank holidays. The property-crime-to-violent-crime ratio remained skewed, with property crimes accounting for 51% of total incidents (119 out of 233). This imbalance suggests that retail environments—such as Bicester's historic high street and shopping centres—continue to drive non-violent offences. Shoplifting alone accounted for 29.6% of all crimes, a rate 169% above the UK average, indicating a specific vulnerability in commercial areas. Residents may find the 169% disparity in shoplifting rates particularly concerning, as it suggests a need for targeted retail security measures.

Bicester's crime rate in May 2025 (6.0 per 1,000 residents) reflects an 11.1% decrease from the previous month's rate of 6.8 per 1,000, marking a downward trend in overall criminal activity. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 166 residents, a figure that contextualises the monthly exposure for local residents. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately eight crimes per day, a locally specific metric that captures the rhythm of reported incidents without overgeneralisation. When compared to the UK average, Bicester's lower crime rate underscores its relative safety, though this contrasts with specific categories like shoplifting, which are significantly higher than the national average. The population context—38,656 residents—adds scale to these figures, ensuring they are interpreted within the community's demographic reality. This decline may partly explain the reduced pressure on local policing resources, though the persistence of certain crime types suggests ongoing challenges in targeted areas.