Crime in Bidston and St James: statistics, rates and trends
2,297 crimes were recorded in Bidston and St James in the 12 months to August 2026, 140.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bidston and St James at a glance
- Crime trends in Bidston and St James
- Types of crime in Bidston and St James
- Bidston and St James compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Bidston and St James
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bidston and St James
- Demographics of Bidston and St James
- Questions about crime in Bidston and St James
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (846), anti-social behaviour (280) and public order (250) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 530th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Bidston and St James | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,297 | 26,029 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 140.4 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 16,358 | 328,873 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bidston and St James peaked in the year to August 2022 (3,268 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (2,164). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,297 | 140.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,164 | 132.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,252 | 137.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,915 | 178.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,268 | 199.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,000 | 183.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,845 | 173.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,650 | 162.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,724 | 166.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 186 |
| July 2026 | 235 |
| June 2026 | 192 |
| May 2026 | 167 |
| April 2026 | 152 |
| March 2026 | 200 |
| February 2026 | 164 |
| January 2026 | 185 |
| December 2025 | 197 |
| November 2025 | 197 |
| October 2025 | 231 |
| September 2025 | 191 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bidston and St James recorded notably more drugs (2.9 times the national rate), public order (2.3 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (2.2 times the national rate). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 213 to 280 and shoplifting rose from 157 to 199.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 846 | 51.7 | 34.2 | +6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 280 | 17.1 | 15.4 | +31% |
| Public order | 250 | 15.3 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 242 | 14.8 | 6.7 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 199 | 12.2 | 8.5 | +27% |
| Drugs | 157 | 9.6 | 3.3 | -5% |
| Other theft | 99 | 6.1 | 6.4 | +5% |
| Vehicle crime | 70 | 4.3 | 5.0 | -8% |
| Other crime | 58 | 3.5 | 2.1 | -11% |
| Burglary | 53 | 3.2 | 3.6 | -13% |
| Possession of weapons | 19 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Bidston and St James; the highest is Birkenhead and Tranmere (254.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Wallasey, Wirral (42.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bidston and St James |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claughton | 1,304 | 86.2 | -39% |
| Oxton | 970 | 68.3 | -51% |
| Seacombe | 2,127 | 135.8 | -3% |
| Leasowe and Moreton East | 1,153 | 70.9 | -49% |
| Upton | 1,582 | 90.0 | -36% |
| Liscard | 1,394 | 92.5 | -34% |
| Birkenhead and Tranmere | 4,562 | 254.1 | +81% |
| Wallasey | 629 | 42.9 | -69% |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Bidston and St James over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (249).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 249 |
| On or near Corporation Road | 218 |
| On or near Treetops Drive | 48 |
| On or near Bidston Moss | 41 |
| On or near Vittoria Close | 33 |
| On or near Aberdeen Street | 30 |
| On or near Harcourt Street | 28 |
| On or near Hurrell Road | 28 |
| On or near St James Road | 28 |
| On or near Vittoria Street | 27 |
Of the 2,017 crimes in Bidston and St James with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 10% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 280 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 795 | 39.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 532 | 26.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 215 | 10.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 207 | 10.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 70 | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 61 | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 48 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 45 | 2.2% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 20 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 17 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Bidston and St James has an estimated population of 16,358 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (44%, against 17%), more households without a car (40%, against 23%) and more residents with no qualifications (27%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bidston and St James average decile 1.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bidston and St James | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 27.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 39.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 38.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 43.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 87.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Bidston and St James a safe place to live?
Bidston and St James recorded 140.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 530th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and public order.
What is the most common crime in Bidston and St James?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 846 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (280).
Is crime in Bidston and St James going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bidston and St James was up 6% on the year before: 2,297 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,164 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bidston and St James?
About 16,358 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bidston and St James?
Bidston and St James is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.