Sawston Crime Rate

Sawston is a highly secure settlement in South Cambridgeshire, boasting a crime rate of 45.7 per 1,000 residents for 2025. This figure is significantly below the UK national average of 91.6, reflecting the village's safe and community-focused character. With an impressive safety score of 88/100, Sawston ranks well above the UK average of 79/100. The crime trend is currently stable, showing a minor 3.7% decrease over the past year, which indicates a consistent and reliable safety profile. While violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour are the most reported categories, property crime remains exceptionally low. This analysis explores the detailed crime breakdown, temporal patterns, and local comparisons to provide a clear picture of safety in Sawston.

Sawston's crime statistics are largely dominated by violence and sexual offences, which make up 44.9% of all reported incidents (20.5 per 1,000 residents). This is followed by anti-social behaviour at 21.0% and criminal damage and arson at 8.4%. These figures suggest that social and interpersonal issues are more prevalent than property-focused crimes in the area.

Property crime in Sawston is remarkably low, with a combined rate of just 10.4 per 1,000 people. This includes burglary (5.7%), other theft (4.5%), and vehicle crime (2.1%). For residents and homeowners, this indicates a very low risk of theft or break-ins compared to the UK average property crime rate of 32.2. While the overall risk is minimal, the presence of burglary and vehicle crime, however small, means that basic security measures remain a sensible precaution to maintain the village's high safety standards.

The crime trend in Sawston is currently stable, with a 3.7% decrease in total offences compared to the previous year. This suggests that the village's safety is being well-maintained and is not experiencing the upward pressure seen in some other parts of the region.

Monthly data for 2025 shows that crime rates fluctuated throughout the year. The year began with low rates in January (2.5) and February (1.9), before rising to a mid-year peak of 5.1 in June. There was a notable spike in October, where the rate reached its annual high of 6.2 per 1,000, before tapering off towards the end of the year. These fluctuations are relatively minor in the context of Sawston's overall low crime rate, but they highlight the importance of remaining vigilant during specific months when activity tends to increase. Overall, the long-term stability is a very positive sign for the Sawston community.

How To Keep Safe in Sawston

Violence and sexual offences are the most common reports in Sawston, making up nearly 45% of total crime. Personal safety and community awareness are therefore the most important factors for residents.

When walking through the village, particularly at night, stick to well-lit paths and avoid isolated areas. Being aware of your surroundings and having a plan for your journey can significantly enhance your personal security.

Despite the low property crime rate, residents should still secure their homes. Ensure all windows and doors are locked, and consider installing high-quality external lighting. For those with outbuildings or garages, robust locks are essential to prevent opportunistic theft.

Engaging with local community safety initiatives and reporting any anti-social behaviour promptly to the police helps maintain Sawston's secure environment. For homeowners, an AI-powered security system that offers proactive boundary detection provides an extra layer of defence, ensuring you are alerted to any unusual activity before it becomes a threat.

Crime in Sawston exhibits clear time-based trends. The afternoon (12pm - 6pm) and morning (6am - 12pm) are the busiest periods for theft-related offences, both accounting for 37% of such crimes. Burglary risk is most concentrated during the night (12am - 6am), where it makes up 33% of the period's activity, and the afternoon (29%). Vehicle crime is also most prevalent at night, representing 20% of the crimes committed in those early hours. Evening hours (6pm - 12am) are heavily dominated by 'other' crimes, including anti-social behaviour. This data indicates that while interpersonal offences may occur throughout the day, property-related threats peak when residents are either away at work or asleep at night.

In the local region, Sawston compares very favourably to its neighbours. Its crime rate of 45.7 is slightly higher than Whittlesford (23.7) but remains much lower than the national average. It is comparable to Great Shelford and Stapleford (41.0) and Duxford (36.4). Areas like Babraham report negligible crime in this period. This data shows that Sawston is part of a wider cluster of high-safety villages in South Cambridgeshire. For residents, this regional context reinforces that while Sawston is a larger settlement, it maintains a security level consistent with its more rural neighbours.

Sawston's property crime rate is notably low at 10.4 per 1,000 residents. However, with burglary and vehicle crime still occurring, homeowners should not be complacent. Traditional security systems often fail because they are reactive—they record the crime as it happens but do little to stop it.

For real peace of mind, a proactive system like scOS is the modern standard. By using AI to monitor all camera feeds simultaneously, scOS can detect a potential intruder at your property boundary. Before a break-in is even attempted, the system can autonomously trigger deterrents like external lights or audio warnings. This immediate response is designed to make an intruder move on within seconds. In a safe area like Sawston, such a visible and intelligent deterrent is often enough to ensure your home is bypassed entirely. Moving from reactive recording to proactive prevention is the most effective way to protect your property and maintain the village's high safety standards.