Crime in Bury St Edmunds
Recorded crime in Bury St Edmunds is 1.8 times the West Suffolk average and 1.4 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 30%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Bury St Edmunds: about 17,671 residents in 22 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 2/10High crime
- Living
- 7.5/10Good
- 5-year change
- −30%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.8×the West Suffolk average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Bury St Edmunds.
Crime over 5 years
Down 30% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Bury St Edmunds, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.8× the West Suffolk average (1.4× the England and Wales average). 127 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 69% of the harm here
- Burglary: 8% of the harm here
- Drugs: 6% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 69% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 20 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.9 |
| Burglary | 3.8 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 51.1 |
| Drugs | 5.7 |
| Possession of weapons | 1.8 |
| Other crime | 2.3 |
| Other theft | 8.9 |
| Theft from the person | 2.1 |
| Vehicle crime | 3.6 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 13.9 |
| Public order | 15.8 |
| Bicycle theft | 2.8 |
| Shoplifting | 14.5 |
Postcode districts in Bury St Edmunds
Nearby towns
Council: West Suffolk
Questions about crime in Bury St Edmunds
- Is Bury St Edmunds a safe place to live?
- Bury St Edmunds scores 2 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.8 times the West Suffolk average.
- Is crime going up or down in Bury St Edmunds?
- Down 30% over 5 years, from 2,672 recorded crimes a year to 1,864.
- What is the most common crime in Bury St Edmunds?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 51 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Bury St Edmunds compare with West Suffolk?
- Crime severity in Bury St Edmunds is 1.8 times the West Suffolk average.