Crime in Balsall Heath West: statistics, rates and trends
1,305 crimes were recorded in Balsall Heath West in the 12 months to August 2026, 101.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Balsall Heath West at a glance
- Crime trends in Balsall Heath West
- Types of crime in Balsall Heath West
- Balsall Heath West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Balsall Heath West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Balsall Heath West
- Demographics of Balsall Heath West
- Questions about crime in Balsall Heath West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (603), vehicle crime (129) and criminal damage and arson (112) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,199th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Balsall Heath West | Birmingham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,305 | 146,681 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 101.4 | 123.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 12,874 | 1,183,618 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Balsall Heath West peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,724 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,208). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,305 | 101.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,436 | 111.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,434 | 111.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,421 | 110.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,577 | 122.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,724 | 133.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,390 | 108.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,222 | 94.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,208 | 93.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 108 |
| July 2026 | 119 |
| June 2026 | 107 |
| May 2026 | 96 |
| April 2026 | 103 |
| March 2026 | 115 |
| February 2026 | 99 |
| January 2026 | 99 |
| December 2025 | 133 |
| November 2025 | 108 |
| October 2025 | 107 |
| September 2025 | 111 |
Compared with England and Wales, Balsall Heath West recorded notably more possession of weapons (3.4 times the national rate), vehicle crime (2.0 times the national rate) and robbery (65% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (76% below) and shoplifting (66% below). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 32 to 42 and public order rose from 72 to 84, while anti-social behaviour fell from 109 to 47 and robbery fell from 45 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 603 | 46.8 | 34.2 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 129 | 10.0 | 5.0 | +6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 112 | 8.7 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Public order | 84 | 6.5 | 6.7 | +17% |
| Other theft | 74 | 5.7 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Burglary | 65 | 5.0 | 3.6 | -23% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 47 | 3.7 | 15.4 | -57% |
| Possession of weapons | 42 | 3.3 | 1.0 | +31% |
| Drugs | 40 | 3.1 | 3.3 | -25% |
| Shoplifting | 37 | 2.9 | 8.5 | -18% |
| Robbery | 29 | 2.3 | 1.4 | -36% |
| Other crime | 17 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 14 | 1.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 12 | 0.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Balsall Heath West; the highest is Ladywood (410.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Edgbaston (92.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Balsall Heath West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bordesley & Highgate | 6,143 | 313.6 | +209% |
| Edgbaston | 1,533 | 92.7 | -9% |
| Moseley | 2,606 | 112.5 | +11% |
| Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East | 3,507 | 126.6 | +25% |
| Ladywood | 10,966 | 410.7 | +305% |
| Sparkhill | 1,978 | 97.2 | -4% |
| Bournbrook & Selly Park | 2,160 | 109.4 | +8% |
| Bordesley Green | 2,002 | 144.8 | +43% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Balsall Heath West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (120).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 120 |
| On or near Royston Croft | 63 |
| On or near Alpha Close | 50 |
| On or near Stone Road | 50 |
| On or near Mary Street | 45 |
| On or near Vincent Close | 43 |
| On or near Police Station | 40 |
| On or near Beech Avenue | 38 |
| On or near George Street | 31 |
| On or near Rathbone Close | 27 |
Of the 1,258 crimes in Balsall Heath West with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 47 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 491 | 39.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 470 | 37.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 97 | 7.7% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 57 | 4.5% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 49 | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 36 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 34 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Balsall Heath West has an estimated population of 12,874 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (43%, against 17%), more students (17.5%, against 7.9%) and more unemployed residents (7.6%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Balsall Heath West average decile 1.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Balsall Heath West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 40.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 7.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 10.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 17.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 29.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 44.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 34.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 43.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 70.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Balsall Heath West a safe place to live?
Balsall Heath West recorded 101.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,199th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Balsall Heath West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 603 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (129).
Is crime in Balsall Heath West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Balsall Heath West was down 9% on the year before: 1,305 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,436 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Balsall Heath West?
About 12,874 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.4% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Balsall Heath West?
Balsall Heath West is policed by West Midlands.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.