Crime in Leicester
Recorded crime in Leicester is 1.4 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 14%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
388,348 residents in 200 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 2/10High crime
- Living
- 8.0/10Good
- 5-year change
- −14%fewer crimes
Crime over 5 years
Down 14% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Leicester, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.4× the England and Wales average. 110 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 61% of the harm here
- Burglary: 14% of the harm here
- Robbery: 7% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 61% 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: 16 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 | 1.5 |
| Burglary | 6.2 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 42.6 |
| Drugs | 4.2 |
| Possession of weapons | 1.3 |
| Other crime | 2.3 |
| Other theft | 9.2 |
| Theft from the person | 1.3 |
| Vehicle crime | 7.9 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 11.7 |
| Public order | 12.5 |
| Bicycle theft | 2.4 |
| Shoplifting | 6.7 |
Towns and cities in Leicester
Postcode districts in Leicester
Questions about crime in Leicester
- Is Leicester a safe place to live?
- Leicester scores 2 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in Leicester?
- Down 14% over 5 years, from 48,196 recorded crimes a year to 41,230.
- What is the most common crime in Leicester?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 43 per 1,000 residents a year.