Car theft and vehicle crime in Cambridge
Police recorded 180 vehicle crimes within about a mile of Cambridge between October 2025 and September 2026. The last three months (60) ran 46% above the three before (41), so the recent direction is up.
Cambridge month by month
September 2026 stands out at 32 recorded offences, while February 2026 dropped to 6. The second half ran 28% above the first. Average: 15.0 a month.
| Month | Offences | vs 12-month average |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 11 | -4 |
| Nov 2025 | 16 | +1 |
| Dec 2025 | 12 | -3 |
| Jan 2026 | 13 | -2 |
| Feb 2026 | 6 | -9 |
| Mar 2026 | 21 | +6 |
| Apr 2026 | 9 | -6 |
| May 2026 | 19 | +4 |
| Jun 2026 | 13 | -2 |
| Jul 2026 | 10 | -5 |
| Aug 2026 | 18 | +3 |
| Sep 2026 | 32 | +17 |
How Cambridge compares
Ranked against 83 other towns, Cambridge comes 63. Its 15 offences a month are around 36% below the typical town in our set, next to 116 for Cardiff.
Over the latest three months the one-mile circle around Cambridge averaged 20 vehicle offences a month. That is more than 82% of the sampled British postcodes, but well short of the worst. 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 Cambridgeshire Constabulary area, Cambridge ranks 2 of the 2 centres we track at 15 offences a month. The others: Peterborough (26).
Towns nearest to Cambridge
- Bedford (25 miles away): 31 a month, 109% more than Cambridge
- Peterborough (29 miles away): 26 a month, 76% more than Cambridge
- Luton (32 miles away): 64 a month, 326% more than Cambridge
Where in Cambridge offences were recorded
Just five locations make up 23% of the 180 offences recorded around Cambridge.
- On or near Further/higher Educational Building: 21
- On or near Parking Area: 7
- On or near Petrol Station: 6
- On or near Conference/exhibition Centre: 4
- On or near Newnham Walk: 4
What happened to Cambridge cases
The most common recorded outcome near Cambridge was "investigation complete; no suspect identified" (120 cases).
| Outcome | Offences | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 120 | 67% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 26 | 14% |
| Under investigation | 26 | 14% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 1% |
| Local resolution | 1 | 1% |
What this means if you park near Cambridge
Cambridge sees around 15 vehicle offences a month: low by city standards, yet thieves target the most valuable cars first. With offences trending up, September is likely to be busy again next year.
Against the 180 offences logged here in a year, an aftermarket immobiliser slows thieves who clone or relay keys, and an S5 or S7 tracker covers you if they still get away. See installation options.
Cambridge car theft questions
How much car crime is there in Cambridge?
Police recorded 180 vehicle offences within about a mile of central Cambridge in the 12 months to September 2026, an average of 15 a month. That ranks 63 of 84 towns on our list, among the lower end.
When was vehicle crime worst in Cambridge?
The worst month was September 2026 (32). The quietest was February 2026 (6), and September 2026 came in at 32.
Are car thieves caught in Cambridge?
Rarely. 67% of the Cambridge cases (120 of 180) ended with no suspect identified, while 2 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 Cambridge?
No. Police.uk counts theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle and vehicle interference together as vehicle crime, so the 180 figure for Cambridge is wider than stolen cars alone.
Source: police.uk, centred on 52.2053, 0.1218, retrieved 2026-11-06. Method and limits.