EXCLUSIVE: Crime rates have surged across the town over the last 12 months, and locals are now living in fear.
Crime rates have increased in the town over the last 12 months (Image: Paul Marriott)
A small UK town is being terrorised by drunken men and violent youths, leaving locals too scared to leave their homes at night. Residents say the situation is getting worse in the town and are worried about what is going to come next.
Wisbech, a market town and inland port located in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire, has seen crime rates increase over the last 12 months. Locals have reported a variety of incidents ranging from knifepoint robberies, town centre assaults and drug crime. Groups of intimidating youths are reportedly riding around the town on bikes while drunken homeless people abuse residents.
Wisbech has the highest crime rate of any medium-sized town in Cambridgeshire (Image: Paul Marriott)
“I definitely wouldn’t come into the town at night,” Derek Logan tells the Daily Express while standing in Wisbech town centre. He turns to his partner, Gemma, who nods in agreement.
Mr Logan adds: “I’ve heard some horror stories about the knives that people carry around here. That’s a big issue and makes you feel scared. There’s been stabbings and robberies recently. Some of the kids involved are still at school.”
The 57-year-old and his partner, 42, were born and raised in Wisbech. As we speak to them outside The Works in the Horse Fair shopping centre, it quickly becomes apparent that the town has changed for the worst in recent years.
“There’s one person that everyone knows who’s always in the town centre. He’s always drunk and if he doesn’t get his own way, he ends up hitting someone,” Ms Logan adds.
“I don’t feel safe coming into the town to shop. I was born and raised here, but it’s changed a hell of a lot recently. I definitely wouldn’t come into the town centre after dark. Definitely not. It’s not safe. A 14-year-old got stabbed a couple of years ago. Luckily he was wearing a backpack and it took the impact so he was ok.”
Gemma and Derek Logan say they don’t go into the town centre at night (Image: Paul Marriott)
We spoke to Gemma and Derek Logan in the Horse Fair shopping centre (Image: Paul Marriott)
According to official statistics, there were a total of 3,084 reported crimes in Wisbech, which has a population of around 27,000, during the 12 months prior to January 2026. This is a crime rate of 116.2 per 1,000 residents, which is the highest of any medium-sized town in the whole of Cambridgeshire.
By comparison, nearby Huntingdon had a rate of 84.44 while St. Neots had a rate of 58.74. The national average is 72 per 1,000 people.
The most common crimes reported in Wisbech were violence and sexual offences, with 1,357 reported incidents during the 12-month period. This figure was 2% higher than the year before.
New Drove, located off Weasenham Lane, recorded the highest amount of crimes in Wisbech with 270 offences reported in total, equating to 22.5 per month. The majority of these crimes were theft, making up 84.1%, and burglary which made up 11.1% of the crimes.
New Drove has the highest crime rate of any street in Wisbech (Image: Paul Marriott)
A total of 270 offences were reported on New Drove over the last 12 months (Image: Paul Marriott)
Geoff Scott, who moved to Wisbech from Clacton-on-Sea nine years ago, is worried that crime is getting worse in the town. He recently warned his wife against going to the shop when it was dark.
“It’s getting worse here. We’ve got a migrant issue, I think, which is intimidating for people,” the 60-year-old says. I know a lot of people who avoid the town as they feel threatened. I don’t go into the town centre after dark, whereas I used to.”
He adds: “Last night my Mrs wanted to nip to Asda at 6.30pm but I said no as it was dark. I told her she wasn’t going. It’s scary after dark here. It’s got out of hand over the last year or so I would say.”
According to Mr Scott, there has been a spate of recent knifepoint robberies in the town centre. He’s also heard of youths carrying knives and threatening residents.
“My main concern is like everyone else’s,” he continues. “We need to feel safe in our home and at the moment we don’t.”
The increasing rate of crime in Wisbech is also having an impact on local businesses. Some traders believe recent incidents have directly reduced footfall in the town which has been a blow for their business.
Homelessness is among the issues facing Wisbech (Image: Paul Marriott)
Neil Bullen, who owns Evisons clothes shop on the High Street with his wife, Becky, says he has seen crime taking place from his shop window in recent times. He believes that most offences take place at night.
“I’ve seen a bit going on in town and around the marketplace. I think the worst things happen at night, usually,” the 59-year-old explains. “You see kids in groups riding around on their bikes. It can be intimidating for the locals. You don’t know what they’re up to.
“The older generation in Wisbech will be able to remember how things used to be here. Sadly, now a lot of older people don’t feel safe coming into the town centre.”
Mr Bullen claims that people come into his shop and report “they don’t feel safe” around the town anymore. This, he believes, is having a direct impact on footfall.
Mrs Bullen adds: “There are various issues in the town. A lot of shops have closed recently which means less people are coming into Wisbech.
“This means that anti-social behaviour actually stands out more as when people do come in that’s all they say. There aren’t crowds of people to hide what happens. The kids might feel like they can get away with it as the place is deserted. There’s no one to report them.”
Becky Bullen says shops have shut across Wisbech in recent times (Image: Paul Marriott)
Local police are working to stamp out crime in Wisbech (Image: Paul Marriott)
Mackenzie Miller and Emma Plumb are sitting, enjoying a coffee in Market Place in the town centre. They have both allegedly been the victims of crimes committed in Wisbech over recent months.
Ms Plumb, 45, was reportedly assaulted by a drunk man in a random attack while Mr Miller, a 62-year-old wheelchair user, was targeted by a group of young men. Both incidents were reported to the police.
“I got assaulted a couple of months ago in the town centre. It was random and a drunk man came up to me and grabbed me. Luckily there was a security guard and they intervened,” Ms Plumb explains.
“It gets scarier after dark, I’d say. I wouldn’t come here any more at night. It’s not what you want for the place where you live. You want to feel safe coming into your town at any time.”
Mr Miller adds: “There’s often drunk blokes in the town centre shouting at people and making threats. A couple of months ago I was sitting here and a group of lads kept kicking their ball at my chair. They thought it was funny and there’s nothing I could do really. I just had to leave.
“The main issues I’ve seen have come from the school kids. They just ride around on bikes being a nuisance. Anti-social behaviour is an issue.”
Mackenzie Miller and Emma Plumb have both allegedly been victims of crime in Wisbech (Image: Paul Marriott)
Some shops have been forced to shut in Wisbech (Image: Paul Marriott)
Just last month, a man was jailed for over a year for his part in a brawl that broke out outside a pub in Wisbech days before Christmas. Kyle Harris, 36, attacked a man outside the Wheatshead Inn on December 23, leaving the victim hospitalised.
Cambridge Crown Court heard how Harris got involved in an argument with another man before punching him multiple times and stamping on him while he was unconscious. Police slammed his actions as “shameful”, adding “there is no place for violence like this in Wisbech.”
Meanwhile, a man was jailed at the end of last year for stalking and sexual assault offences. Kehinde Quadri, 49, was put behind bars for one year after admitting three counts of stalking and one count of sexual assault.
Peterborough Crown Court heard how he stalked a woman and her partner twice in Wisbech town centre. On both occasions, he stood outside a coffee shop they were in and stared through the window.
A separate incident saw Quadri approach a woman while she was walking her children to school. He reached into her bag before grabbing her two children and hugging them forcefully.
Kyle Harris has been jailed after the attack (Image: Cambridgeshire Police)
Kehinde Quadri was jailed for stalking and sexual assault offences (Image: Cambridgeshire Police)
Police are clamping down on crime in Wisbech
Daniel Short says the main issue in Wisbech is street drinkers (Image: Paul Marriott)
Following the increased number of offences in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire Police have enforced Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) in order to tackle crime. The town is also now patrolled by the Wisbech Town Wardens, who were introduced on January 5 this year.
One PSPO makes it an offence to carry open alcohol in Tillery Fields, St Peter’s Church Gardens, and the memorial garden in The Crescent. Authorised officers also have the power to tackle alcohol-related anti-social behaviour in Wisbech town centre.
Meanwhile, a separate PSPO has seen the closure of the passageway that links Norfolk Street and West Street. The alley, which was a hotspot for offences, has been shut to “help reduce anti-social behaviour”, according to Fenland District Council.
Daniel Short, one of the new Wisbech Town Wardens, says the main issue in the town is street drinkers. The town centre is also blighted by groups of bike-riding youths who are believed to be dealing drugs.
“We’re here for people’s safety and to cut down anti-social behaviour in the town. We also help the homeless and deal with street drinkers in the PSPO areas,” he tells the Express. “I think we help give a presence to make sure people feel safe in their town again.
“The town council has had a number of worrying complaints recently that people don’t feel safe to come into the centre. That’s why they’ve hired us.”
He adds: “These things haven’t always been an issue in Wisbech. It’s very much a recent thing. That’s why they’ve got us to do what we do. There’s been more and more complaints recently about people feeling unsafe in the town.”
Since he started his role in January, Mr Short has had a number of compliments from locals who say his presence, alongside fellow Wisbech Warden, Evelina Jakovleva, has made them feel safer.
Ms Jakovleva adds: “We’ve spoken with shop owners who think we’ve helped them too. A worker in TG Jones said there’s been a drop in shoplifters in the last few months. That’s been a real issue in the town centre previously.”
Daniel Short and Evelina Jakovleva are two of the new Wisbech Town Wardens (Image: Paul Marriott)
Neighbourhood Sergeant Lee Lombardo said: “We recognise the concerns raised by residents in Wisbech, and we understand that issues such as anti‑social behaviour, drug misuse and associated criminality can have a real impact on how safe people feel in their own community. Tackling these problems remains one of our top priorities.
“We’ve increased proactive patrols in and around the town centre, with both uniformed officers and PCSOs spending more time on foot to provide visibility, reassurance and a quick response to incidents. These patrols are supported by targeted operations to crackdown on drug‑related crime and persistent anti‑social behaviour.
“We’re also working closely with partners including Fenland District Council, local businesses, housing providers and community groups to identify the root causes of issues and put long‑term solutions in place after dealing with incidents. Where necessary, we use enforcement tools such as Community Protection Notices and Warnings, Criminal Behaviour Orders and closure powers to deal with persistent offenders.
“While there is always more work to do, the public can be assured that we are committed to improving safety in the town centre and will continue to use every tool available to us to make Wisbech a safer place for everyone.
“We also encourage members of the public to report any concerns, suspicious behaviour or incidents to us, as this information is vital in helping us target resources, identify offenders and tackle issues early.”