Wantage Crime Rate January 2026 | Monthly Statistics

The most dramatic shift in January 2026 occurred in possession of weapons, robbery, and vehicle crime, each surging 100% compared to December. These spikes contrast with steep declines in shoplifting and drug-related offences, which fell 66.7% and 66.7% respectively. Wantage’s overall crime rate of 5.7 per 1,000 residents placed it 16.2% below the UK average of 6.8, reflecting a consistently safer profile compared to national trends. Violence and sexual offences remained the dominant category, accounting for 34.2% of all crimes, though this rate was 24% below the UK average. The seasonal context of January—post-holiday period with reduced retail footfall and shorter days—likely contributes to the lower volume of outdoor crimes typically associated with festive months. Property crimes, which made up 44.7% of all incidents, saw burglary and other theft at rates 150% and 52% above UK averages, suggesting vulnerabilities in residential security or targeted retail theft. Anti-social behaviour, at 0.5 per 1,000, was 46% below the UK average, possibly reflecting the area’s character as a quieter, more residential built-up area with fewer public spaces prone to disorder. The data illustrates a combination of local demographics, seasonal rhythms, and the specific crime patterns that persist in Wantage despite its generally lower crime rate compared to national benchmarks.

January 2026 saw three crime categories surge by 100% compared to December: possession of weapons, robbery, and vehicle crime. These increases, though small in absolute terms (each category rose from zero to one incident), may partly explain the sharp contrast with the 66.7% drop in shoplifting, which fell from three to one incident. The rate of violence and sexual offences—2.5 per 1,000—was 24% below the UK average, a consistent trend for the area. Conversely, criminal damage and arson (0.9 per 1,000) was 88% above the UK average, highlighting a localised issue in property-related offences. The breakdown shows a mixed picture: while burglary and other theft were significantly above UK averages, anti-social behaviour was 46% below, suggesting community dynamics that may suppress certain types of disorder. For residents, the 16.2% gap between Wantage’s rate and the UK average offers context for why local police resources might focus more on property crimes than on violent incidents, which remain relatively rare in the area.

Wantage’s crime rate of 5.7 per 1,000 in January 2026 was stable compared to December, with a -1.2% change indicating continuity in local patterns. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 177 residents—a monthly exposure rate that is lower than the UK average, though no direct comparison figure is available. Daily crime context shows 2 crimes reported per day on average, a figure that may seem low to residents unfamiliar with national benchmarks but aligns with the area’s consistently safer profile. When scaled to the population of 13,439, the 76 total crimes represent a manageable burden for local policing, though the 150% above UK average rate for burglary warrants attention. The comparison to the previous month reveals no major shifts in the crime mix, with property crimes still dominating (44.7% of all incidents). This stability contrasts with the UK-wide seasonal fluctuations typically seen in areas with more transient populations or higher foot traffic, reinforcing Wantage’s identity as a relatively stable, low-crime built-up area within Vale of White Horse.