New data shows that 408 crimes were reported in Oxford Central during February 2026, marking an increase from the 345 incidents recorded in January.
According to Police.uk, the figures for February include 131 reports of violence and sexual offences and 71 instances of shoplifting. Other commonly reported crimes during the same period included 39 cases of theft and 34 reports of anti-social behaviour.
The rise follows a period of seasonal variation in crime reports, which saw 477 crimes recorded in July 2025 before dropping to 361 in December 2025. To address specific concerns regarding retail crime, Thames Valley Police launched a strategy in January 2024 that utilises facial recognition technology and a reporting application for businesses known as Disc.
Dr Eleanor Bland, a criminologist at Oxford Brookes University, advised that residents should be cautious when interpreting these statistics. She noted that increases in police-recorded crime figures can sometimes reflect improved reporting and police activity rather than a rise in actual crime.
Broader economic factors may also play a role in local trends. Oxford has the highest affordability ratio of any city in the United Kingdom, where average house prices are approximately 571,300 pounds while average wages sit at 42,000 pounds. Local officials have previously noted that such economic pressures can contribute to community crime patterns.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
