Car theft and vehicle crime in Bradford
Between October 2025 and September 2026, West Yorkshire Police logged 702 vehicle offences inside a one-mile radius of Bradford. The most recent quarter brought 167 offences, 12% fewer than the 190 in the quarter before it.
Bradford month by month
Counts ranged from 39 in February 2026 up to 78 in May 2026. There was little difference between the first and second six months. Average: 58.5 a month.
| Month | Offences | vs 12-month average |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 61 | +2 |
| Nov 2025 | 74 | +16 |
| Dec 2025 | 66 | +8 |
| Jan 2026 | 53 | -6 |
| Feb 2026 | 39 | -20 |
| Mar 2026 | 52 | -6 |
| Apr 2026 | 66 | +8 |
| May 2026 | 78 | +20 |
| Jun 2026 | 46 | -12 |
| Jul 2026 | 47 | -12 |
| Aug 2026 | 69 | +10 |
| Sep 2026 | 51 | -8 |
How Bradford compares
Bradford sits at number 10 of 84 on our table, with 58 offences a month: about 2.5 times the typical town in our set. By contrast Cardiff recorded 116 a month.
Over the latest three months the one-mile circle around Bradford averaged 56 vehicle offences a month. Central Bradford lands in the busiest 7% of our national postcode sample. For context we counted the same one-mile radius around 400 random postcodes nationwide (Jul 2026, Aug 2026, Sep 2026). Test your own street with the free theft risk checker.
Within the West Yorkshire Police area, Bradford ranks 2 of the 4 centres we track at 58 offences a month. The others: Leeds (63), Wakefield (22), Huddersfield (21).
Towns nearest to Bradford
- Leeds (9 miles away): 63 a month, about the same than Bradford
- Huddersfield (10 miles away): 21 a month, 64% fewer than Bradford
- Wakefield (13 miles away): 22 a month, 62% fewer than Bradford
Where in Bradford offences were recorded
Just five locations make up 13% of the 702 offences recorded around Bradford.
- On or near Parking Area: 45
- On or near Morley Street: 15
- On or near Nightclub: 13
- On or near Mill Street: 11
- On or near Haslam Close: 10
What happened to Bradford cases
The most common recorded outcome near Bradford was "investigation complete; no suspect identified" (533 cases).
| Outcome | Offences | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 533 | 76% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 81 | 12% |
| Under investigation | 41 | 6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 24 | 3% |
| Court result unavailable | 19 | 3% |
| Status update unavailable | 4 | 1% |
What this means if you park near Bradford
With roughly 58 offences a month close to Bradford, assume a parked car here will be tried at some point. Watch May in particular: it produced the highest count locally.
For a car kept near Bradford, layering helps: an immobiliser to stop the engine starting, and a certified tracker for recovery if it goes anyway. See installation options.
Bradford car theft questions
How much car crime is there in Bradford?
Police recorded 702 vehicle offences within about a mile of central Bradford in the 12 months to September 2026, an average of 58 a month. That ranks 10 of 84 towns on our list, among the higher end.
When was vehicle crime worst in Bradford?
The worst month was May 2026 (78). The quietest was February 2026 (39), and September 2026 came in at 51.
Are car thieves caught in Bradford?
Rarely. 76% of the Bradford cases (533 of 702) ended with no suspect identified, while 43 showed a court or charge outcome. Stopping the theft, or recovering the car fast, is the realistic defence.
Does this cover stolen cars only in Bradford?
No. Police.uk counts theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle and vehicle interference together as vehicle crime, so the 702 figure for Bradford is wider than stolen cars alone.
Source: police.uk, centred on 53.795, -1.7594, retrieved 2026-11-06. Method and limits.