Crime in Bircher: statistics, rates and trends
143 crimes were recorded in Bircher in the 12 months to August 2026, 32.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (60), anti-social behaviour (18) and other theft (17) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,691st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Bircher | Herefordshire, County of | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 143 | 11,739 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 32.9 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 4,340 | 191,047 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bircher peaked in the year to August 2018 (194 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (126). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 143 | 32.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 126 | 29.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 133 | 30.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 173 | 39.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 140 | 32.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 184 | 42.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 165 | 38.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 169 | 38.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 194 | 44.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 7 |
| July 2026 | 10 |
| June 2026 | 13 |
| May 2026 | 6 |
| April 2026 | 6 |
| March 2026 | 14 |
| February 2026 | 8 |
| January 2026 | 14 |
| December 2025 | 14 |
| November 2025 | 17 |
| October 2025 | 21 |
| September 2025 | 13 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (60% below) was well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 51 to 60.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 60 | 13.8 | 34.2 | +18% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 18 | 4.1 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Other theft | 17 | 3.9 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Burglary | 12 | 2.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 2.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 9 | 2.1 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 7 | 1.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 1.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 1 | 0.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 1 | 0.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Bircher; the highest is Leominster East (127.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Arrow (24.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bircher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leominster North & Rural | 147 | 47.1 | +43% |
| Leominster East | 630 | 127.4 | +287% |
| Mortimer | 95 | 28.4 | -14% |
| Arrow | 77 | 24.9 | -24% |
| Hampton | 131 | 32.3 | -2% |
| Weobley | 150 | 38.0 | +15% |
| Queenswood | 101 | 29.3 | -11% |
| Sutton Walls | 93 | 26.6 | -19% |
The 10 locations below account for 54% of the crime recorded in Bircher over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Ludlow Road” and “Park/Open Space” (15 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Ludlow Road | 15 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 15 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 11 |
| On or near Croft Lane | 6 |
| On or near Spout Lane | 6 |
| On or near Wheatcommon Lane | 6 |
| On or near Mortimer Meadow | 5 |
| On or near Stockton Rock | 5 |
| On or near Chestnut Avenue | 4 |
| On or near Green Lane | 4 |
Of the 125 crimes in Bircher with a recorded outcome, 22% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 18 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 58 | 46.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 28 | 22.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 15 | 12.0% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 11.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 5 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
Bircher has an estimated population of 4,340 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (38%, against 19%), more retired residents (37%, against 22%) and fewer households without a car (7.1%, against 23.3%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bircher average decile 6.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Bircher | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 11.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 37.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 37.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 39.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 7.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 79.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bircher a safe place to live?
Bircher recorded 32.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,691st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Bircher?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 60 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (18).
Is crime in Bircher going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bircher was up 13% on the year before: 143 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 126 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bircher?
About 4,340 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 38% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bircher?
Bircher is policed by West Mercia.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.