Crime in Saffron Walden
Recorded crime in Saffron Walden is 0.8 times the Uttlesford average and 0.6 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 31%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Saffron Walden: about 14,965 residents in 9 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 7/10Low crime
- Living
- 6.7/10Good
- 5-year change
- −31%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 0.8×the Uttlesford average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Saffron Walden.
Crime over 5 years
Down 31% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Saffron Walden, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 0.8× the Uttlesford average (0.6× the England and Wales average). 46 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 64% of the harm here
- Burglary: 18% of the harm here
- Other theft: 5% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 64% 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: 10 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 | 0.2 |
| Burglary | 3.3 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 18.7 |
| Drugs | 1.4 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.3 |
| Other crime | 0.9 |
| Other theft | 4.1 |
| Theft from the person | 0.7 |
| Vehicle crime | 2.6 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 5.3 |
| Public order | 3.9 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.3 |
| Shoplifting | 4.0 |
Postcode districts in Saffron Walden
Nearby towns
Council: Uttlesford
Questions about crime in Saffron Walden
- Is Saffron Walden a safe place to live?
- Saffron Walden scores 7 out of 10 for safety (low crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 0.8 times the Uttlesford average.
- Is crime going up or down in Saffron Walden?
- Down 31% over 5 years, from 843 recorded crimes a year to 582.
- What is the most common crime in Saffron Walden?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 19 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Saffron Walden compare with Uttlesford?
- Crime severity in Saffron Walden is 0.8 times the Uttlesford average.