Crime in Birkdale: statistics, rates and trends
626 crimes were recorded in Birkdale in the 12 months to August 2026, 46.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (293), shoplifting (96) and anti-social behaviour (58) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,185th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Birkdale | Sefton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 626 | 24,393 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 46.3 | 85.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +11% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 13,511 | 286,281 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Birkdale peaked in the year to August 2022 (882 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (566). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 626 | 46.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 566 | 41.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 580 | 42.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 725 | 53.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 882 | 65.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 793 | 58.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 709 | 52.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 738 | 54.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 793 | 58.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 53 |
| July 2026 | 61 |
| June 2026 | 52 |
| May 2026 | 59 |
| April 2026 | 54 |
| March 2026 | 63 |
| February 2026 | 47 |
| January 2026 | 45 |
| December 2025 | 44 |
| November 2025 | 52 |
| October 2025 | 36 |
| September 2025 | 60 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (72% below) and other theft (63% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 24 to 96 and anti-social behaviour rose from 43 to 58, while public order fell from 67 to 42 and criminal damage and arson fell from 52 to 39.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 293 | 21.7 | 34.2 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 96 | 7.1 | 8.5 | +300% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 58 | 4.3 | 15.4 | +35% |
| Public order | 42 | 3.1 | 6.7 | -37% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 39 | 2.9 | 6.7 | -25% |
| Other theft | 32 | 2.4 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Drugs | 23 | 1.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 17 | 1.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 6 | 0.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Birkdale; the highest is Duke's (207.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Meols, Sefton (38.3).
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in Birkdale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Bolton Road” (77).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Bolton Road | 77 |
| On or near Central Avenue | 54 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 22 |
| On or near Claremont Gardens | 17 |
| On or near Lyndhurst Road | 16 |
| On or near Stamford Road | 15 |
| On or near Bury Road | 13 |
| On or near Supermarket | 13 |
| On or near Vivian Drive | 13 |
| On or near Lincoln Road | 12 |
Of the 568 crimes in Birkdale with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 58 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 236 | 41.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 160 | 28.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 57 | 10.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 51 | 9.0% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 16 | 2.8% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 1.9% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 1.9% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
Birkdale has an estimated population of 13,511 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (5.8%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (18%, against 23%) and more home ownership (76%, against 63%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Birkdale average decile 6.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Birkdale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 75.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 5.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Birkdale a safe place to live?
Birkdale recorded 46.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,185th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Birkdale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 293 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (96).
Is crime in Birkdale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Birkdale was up 11% on the year before: 626 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 566 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Birkdale?
About 13,511 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Birkdale?
Birkdale 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.