Car theft and vehicle crime in Peterborough
317 vehicle crimes were reported to Cambridgeshire Constabulary within about a mile of Peterborough from October 2025 to September 2026. The last three months (86) ran 23% above the three before (70), so the recent direction is up.
Peterborough month by month
March 2026 stands out at 41 recorded offences, while April 2026 dropped to 17. There was little difference between the first and second six months. Average: 26.4 a month.
| Month | Offences | vs 12-month average |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 31 | +5 |
| Nov 2025 | 18 | -8 |
| Dec 2025 | 25 | -1 |
| Jan 2026 | 23 | -3 |
| Feb 2026 | 23 | -3 |
| Mar 2026 | 41 | +15 |
| Apr 2026 | 17 | -9 |
| May 2026 | 33 | +7 |
| Jun 2026 | 20 | -6 |
| Jul 2026 | 29 | +3 |
| Aug 2026 | 27 | +1 |
| Sep 2026 | 30 | +4 |
How Peterborough compares
Peterborough sits at number 38 of 84 on our table, with 26 offences a month: close to the typical town in our set. By contrast Cardiff recorded 116 a month.
Over the latest three months the one-mile circle around Peterborough averaged 29 vehicle offences a month. That is more than 87% of the sampled British postcodes, but well short of the worst. The comparison uses 400 randomly chosen British postcodes, each measured over Jul 2026, Aug 2026, Sep 2026 exactly as Peterborough is here. Test your own street with the free theft risk checker.
Within the Cambridgeshire Constabulary area, Peterborough ranks 1 of the 2 centres we track at 26 offences a month. The others: Cambridge (15).
Towns nearest to Peterborough
- Cambridge (29 miles away): 15 a month, 43% fewer than Peterborough
- Bedford (31 miles away): 31 a month, 19% more than Peterborough
- Northampton (36 miles away): 49 a month, 85% more than Peterborough
Where in Peterborough offences were recorded
Just five locations make up 22% of the 317 offences recorded around Peterborough.
- On or near Parking Area: 34
- On or near Shopping Area: 12
- On or near Sports/recreation Area: 12
- On or near Rivergate: 7
- On or near Fellowes Gardens: 6
What happened to Peterborough cases
The most common recorded outcome near Peterborough was "investigation complete; no suspect identified" (229 cases).
| Outcome | Offences | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 229 | 72% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 41 | 13% |
| Under investigation | 26 | 8% |
| Court result unavailable | 9 | 3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 7 | 2% |
| Status update unavailable | 3 | 1% |
What this means if you park near Peterborough
A rate near 26 a month makes Peterborough a lower-volume area, which is when an unprotected premium car stands out. The recent rise is the signal to act now rather than after the next March peak.
Most owners near Peterborough start with an immobiliser for prevention, then add monitored tracking if the insurer asks for it. See installation options.
Peterborough car theft questions
How much car crime is there in Peterborough?
In the year to September 2026, 317 vehicle crimes were logged inside a mile of central Peterborough: about 26 every month, placing it 38 of the 84 towns we track (in the middle end).
When was vehicle crime worst in Peterborough?
Peterborough peaked in March 2026 at 41 recorded offences and bottomed out at 17 in April 2026; 30 were logged in September 2026.
Are car thieves caught in Peterborough?
Police.uk shows 229 of 317 Peterborough cases (72%) closed without a suspect and 16 with a court-stage outcome, so an owner is far better served by an immobiliser and tracker than by the odds of a conviction.
Does this cover stolen cars only in Peterborough?
The Peterborough total of 317 includes thefts of vehicles, thefts from them and interference: police.uk does not split these at street level, so treat it as all car crime rather than stolen cars only.
Source: police.uk, centred on 52.5695, -0.2405, retrieved 2026-11-06. Method and limits.