Crime in Bidston and St James: statistics, rates and trends
2,307 crimes were recorded in Bidston and St James in the 12 months to July 2026, 141.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- 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
- Population and deprivation in Bidston and St James
- Questions about crime in Bidston and St James
- About this data
2,307 crimes were recorded in Bidston and St James in the 12 months to July 2026, 141.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 8% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 866 reports (38% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Bidston and St James has the 520th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Bidston and St James | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 2,307 | 26,231 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 141.0 | 79.8 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 16,358 | 328,873 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Bidston and St James was highest in the year to July 2022 (3,286 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2025 (2,135). Over the whole period it fell 14%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 2,307 | 141.0 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 2,135 | 130.5 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 2,295 | 140.3 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 2,998 | 183.3 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 3,286 | 200.9 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 2,905 | 177.6 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 2,850 | 174.2 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 2,730 | 166.9 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 2,668 | 163.1 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 2025 | 196 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Bidston and St James over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for violence and sexual offences, public order, criminal damage and arson.
The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+23%) and shoplifting (+14%). The largest falls were in possession of weapons (-27%) and burglary (-21%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 866 | 52.9 | 1.55 | +13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 274 | 16.8 | 1.09 | +23% |
| Public order | 257 | 15.7 | 2.36 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 233 | 14.2 | 2.10 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 186 | 11.4 | 1.37 | +14% |
| Drugs | 165 | 10.1 | 3.09 | +5% |
| Other theft | 101 | 6.2 | 0.97 | +6% |
| Vehicle crime | 72 | 4.4 | 0.89 | -10% |
| Other crime | 58 | 3.5 | 1.68 | -13% |
| Burglary | 49 | 3.0 | 0.85 | -21% |
| Possession of weapons | 19 | 1.2 | 1.20 | -27% |
| Robbery | 15 | 0.9 | 0.68 | +114% |
| Bicycle theft | 10 | 0.6 | 0.74 | +0% |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 0.07 | +0% |
Violence and sexual offences in Bidston and St James
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Bidston and St James recorded 866 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (52.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 13% on the year before. It made up 37.5% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Bidston and St James
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Bidston and St James recorded 274 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (16.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 23% on the year before. It made up 11.9% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Bidston and St James
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Bidston and St James recorded 257 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (15.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 2% on the year before. It made up 11.1% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Bidston and St James
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Bidston and St James recorded 233 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (14.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 3% on the year before. It made up 10.1% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Bidston and St James
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Bidston and St James recorded 186 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (11.4 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 14% on the year before. It made up 8.1% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Bidston and St James
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Bidston and St James recorded 165 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (10.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 5% on the year before. It made up 7.2% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Bidston and St James
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Bidston and St James recorded 101 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.2 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 6% on the year before. It made up 4.4% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Bidston and St James
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Bidston and St James recorded 72 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 10% on the year before. It made up 3.1% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Bidston and St James
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Bidston and St James recorded 58 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 13% on the year before. It made up 2.5% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Bidston and St James
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Bidston and St James recorded 49 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 21% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Bidston and St James
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Bidston and St James recorded 19 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 27% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Bidston and St James
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Bidston and St James recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 114% on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Bidston and St James
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Bidston and St James recorded 10 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Bidston and St James
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Bidston and St James recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.1% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Bidston and St James, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Bidston and St James.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bidston and St James |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claughton | 1,301 | 86.0 | -39% |
| Oxton | 989 | 69.6 | -51% |
| Seacombe | 2,136 | 136.4 | -3% |
| Leasowe and Moreton East | 1,168 | 71.9 | -49% |
| Upton | 1,596 | 90.8 | -36% |
| Liscard | 1,389 | 92.2 | -35% |
| Birkenhead and Tranmere | 4,652 | 259.1 | +84% |
| Wallasey | 631 | 43.0 | -70% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Bidston and St James over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 240 |
| On or near Corporation Road | 213 |
| On or near Treetops Drive | 46 |
| On or near Bidston Moss | 34 |
| On or near Vittoria Close | 34 |
| On or near Aberdeen Street | 31 |
| On or near Vittoria Street | 31 |
| On or near Harcourt Street | 27 |
| On or near Hurrell Road | 27 |
| On or near St James Road | 27 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Bidston and St James over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 798 | 34.6% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 529 | 22.9% |
| Not recorded | 274 | 11.9% |
| Under investigation | 218 | 9.4% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 206 | 8.9% |
| Local resolution | 66 | 2.9% |
| Court result unavailable | 65 | 2.8% |
| Status update unavailable | 48 | 2.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 45 | 2.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 29 | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 19 | 0.8% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 0.4% |
Bidston and St James has an estimated population of 16,358. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Bidston and St James sits in decile 1.9, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Bidston and St James |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.0% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 61.7% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 38.6% |
| Social rented homes | 43.8% |
| Private rented homes | 17.4% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.9 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 87.9% |
Is Bidston and St James a safe place to live?
Bidston and St James recorded 141.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Bidston and St James?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 866 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (274).
Is crime in Bidston and St James going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bidston and St James was up 8% on the year before: 2,307 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 2,135 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Bidston and St James?
Bidston and St James is policed by Merseyside. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Bidston and St James. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.