Nottinghamshire residents less likely to be victims of crime than national average
People living in Nottinghamshire are less likely to be affected by crime than those elsewhere in England and Wales, according to the latest official figures released recently.
New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that while recorded crime in Nottinghamshire rose slightly by 1.8% to 99,937 offences in the year ending December 2025, the overall crime rate remains lower than the national average, with 84.1 offences per 1,000 people compared to 84.8 across England and Wales.
The figures also highlight continued progress in tackling some of the crimes that matter most to residents.
Residential burglary fell slightly to 2,788 offences, meaning people in Nottinghamshire are around 8% less likely to have their home broken into than the national average.
Neighbourhood and acquisitive crimes, including theft and burglary, have generally been on a downward trend in recent years, reflecting ongoing work by police and partners through initiatives such as hotspot policing, increased neighbourhood policing teams, the Safer Streets initiative and Immediate Justice.
Shoplifting, which had risen significantly in previous years, has now decreased by 9% to 14,031 offences, a much sharper fall than the 1.4% decrease seen nationally. While Nottinghamshire still has higher-than-average levels of shoplifting, the change in direction suggests that targeted work with retailers and proactive policing is beginning to have an impact.
Vehicle crime also remains significantly lower than the national average, while theft from the person, despite increasing by 8.5% locally, is still far less common than elsewhere, with a rate of 0.9 offences per 1,000 people compared to 2.1 nationally.
Violence overall in Nottinghamshire remains well below the national average, with 29.2 offences per 1,000 people compared to 31.7 across England and Wales. Homicide levels also continue to fall and remain below national rates.
However, the data also shows areas where further work is needed. Robbery increased to 1,561 offences, although the overall rate remains slightly below the national average. Reported sexual offences rose by 7.4%, which is likely linked to increased reporting by victims and improved recording practices.
Drug offences increased by 1.8% locally, a much smaller rise than the 18% increase seen nationally, meaning Nottinghamshire’s rate remains lower than the England and Wales average.
Possession of weapon offences also increased by 6.4%, which is understood to reflect proactive police activity to identify and seize weapons through targeted operations and stop and search activity.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said: “These figures show that Nottinghamshire continues to be a safer place to live compared to much of the rest of the country, and that is thanks to the hard work of our police officers, partners and communities.
“People here are less likely to be victims of crime, less likely to have their homes burgled, and we are seeing encouraging reductions in key areas like shoplifting and neighbourhood crime.
“At the same time, we are not complacent. Where we are seeing increases, whether that’s robbery or certain types of theft, we are working closely with Nottinghamshire Police to understand why and take action.
“It’s also important to recognise that increases in areas like weapon possession and sexual offences can reflect more proactive policing and greater confidence from victims to come forward, which is a positive step.
“Through continued investment in neighbourhood policing, hotspot patrols and early intervention, we are determined to keep driving crime down and make Nottinghamshire an even safer place for everyone.”
The latest figures reinforce the importance of sustained investment in visible policing and partnership work, with Nottinghamshire Police continuing to maintain one of the highest levels of neighbourhood policing resources in the country.