Car theft and vehicle crime in Lincoln
Between October 2025 and September 2026, Lincolnshire Police logged 153 vehicle offences inside a one-mile radius of Lincoln. The last three months (54) ran 74% above the three before (31), so the recent direction is up.
Lincoln month by month
The busiest month was September 2026 with 20 offences; the quietest was March 2026 with 6. The later six months were 25% higher than the first six. Average: 12.8 a month.
| Month | Offences | vs 12-month average |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 14 | +1 |
| Nov 2025 | 15 | +2 |
| Dec 2025 | 10 | -3 |
| Jan 2026 | 15 | +2 |
| Feb 2026 | 8 | -5 |
| Mar 2026 | 6 | -7 |
| Apr 2026 | 11 | -2 |
| May 2026 | 9 | -4 |
| Jun 2026 | 11 | -2 |
| Jul 2026 | 19 | +6 |
| Aug 2026 | 15 | +2 |
| Sep 2026 | 20 | +7 |
How Lincoln compares
Out of the 84 areas we track, Lincoln ranks 67 for monthly vehicle crime at 13 a month, around 46% below the typical town in our set. Cardiff averaged 116.
Over the latest three months the one-mile circle around Lincoln averaged 18 vehicle offences a month. Central Lincoln is busier than 81% of the postcodes in our Great Britain sample. Our benchmark is 400 random postcodes from England, Scotland and Wales, counted with the same one-mile method over Jul 2026, Aug 2026, Sep 2026. Test your own street with the free theft risk checker.
Lincoln is the only Lincolnshire Police area on our list. Across the 8 East Midlands towns we track it ranks 7 for vehicle crime per month.
Towns nearest to Lincoln
- Mansfield (28 miles away): 22 a month, 73% more than Lincoln
- Doncaster (32 miles away): 42 a month, 227% more than Lincoln
- Nottingham (32 miles away): 85 a month, 569% more than Lincoln
Where in Lincoln offences were recorded
The top five recorded locations hold 22% of all offences in the radius around Lincoln.
- On or near Parking Area: 16
- On or near Portland Street: 5
- On or near Further/higher Educational Building: 4
- On or near Hospital: 4
- On or near Walnut Place: 4
What happened to Lincoln cases
The most common recorded outcome near Lincoln was "investigation complete; no suspect identified" (112 cases).
| Outcome | Offences | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 112 | 73% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 25 | 16% |
| Under investigation | 9 | 6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 2% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 2% |
| Status update unavailable | 1 | 1% |
What this means if you park near Lincoln
Lincoln sees around 13 vehicle offences a month: low by city standards, yet thieves target the most valuable cars first. Numbers have climbed recently, so review how your vehicle is protected before the next September.
For a car kept near Lincoln, layering helps: an immobiliser to stop the engine starting, and a certified tracker for recovery if it goes anyway. See installation options.
Lincoln car theft questions
How much car crime is there in Lincoln?
Police recorded 153 vehicle offences within about a mile of central Lincoln in the 12 months to September 2026, an average of 13 a month. That ranks 67 of 84 towns on our list, among the lower end.
When was vehicle crime worst in Lincoln?
The worst month was September 2026 (20). The quietest was March 2026 (6), and September 2026 came in at 20.
Are car thieves caught in Lincoln?
Rarely. 73% of the Lincoln cases (112 of 153) ended with no suspect identified, while 6 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 Lincoln?
Not only. The 153 Lincoln offences combine cars stolen outright, items taken from vehicles and tampering, because police.uk publishes them as one vehicle crime category.
Source: police.uk, centred on 53.2307, -0.5406, retrieved 2026-11-06. Method and limits.