Crime in Dewsbury West: statistics, rates and trends
2,700 crimes were recorded in Dewsbury West in the 12 months to August 2026, 117.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dewsbury West at a glance
- Crime trends in Dewsbury West
- Types of crime in Dewsbury West
- Dewsbury West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Dewsbury West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dewsbury West
- Demographics of Dewsbury West
- Questions about crime in Dewsbury West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,236), anti-social behaviour (274) and public order (236) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 856th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Dewsbury West | Kirklees | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,700 | 43,862 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 117.8 | 97.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 22,913 | 447,847 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Dewsbury West of any year here (2,700 crimes). 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 | 2,700 | 117.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,097 | 135.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,092 | 134.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,597 | 157.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,624 | 158.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,633 | 158.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,703 | 161.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,733 | 162.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,424 | 149.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 208 |
| July 2026 | 247 |
| June 2026 | 239 |
| May 2026 | 257 |
| April 2026 | 254 |
| March 2026 | 213 |
| February 2026 | 195 |
| January 2026 | 183 |
| December 2025 | 190 |
| November 2025 | 218 |
| October 2025 | 248 |
| September 2025 | 248 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dewsbury West recorded notably more other crime (82% above the national rate), drugs (73% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (58% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (83% below) and anti-social behaviour (22% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 105 to 130, while shoplifting fell from 49 to 33 and vehicle crime fell from 140 to 96.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,236 | 53.9 | 34.2 | -17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 274 | 12.0 | 15.4 | -13% |
| Public order | 236 | 10.3 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 228 | 10.0 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Other theft | 186 | 8.1 | 6.4 | -4% |
| Drugs | 130 | 5.7 | 3.3 | +24% |
| Burglary | 106 | 4.6 | 3.6 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 96 | 4.2 | 5.0 | -31% |
| Other crime | 88 | 3.8 | 2.1 | -17% |
| Shoplifting | 33 | 1.4 | 8.5 | -33% |
| Possession of weapons | 30 | 1.3 | 1.0 | -12% |
| Robbery | 27 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 19 | 0.8 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Dewsbury West; the highest is Dewsbury East (162.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Mirfield, Kirklees (82.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dewsbury West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dewsbury South | 1,662 | 85.5 | -27% |
| Heckmondwike | 1,807 | 96.2 | -18% |
| Dewsbury East | 3,534 | 162.1 | +38% |
| Mirfield | 1,668 | 82.7 | -30% |
| Batley West | 2,841 | 128.2 | +9% |
| Batley East | 1,450 | 91.3 | -23% |
| Liversedge and Gomersal | 1,932 | 97.4 | -17% |
| Birstall and Birkenshaw | 1,524 | 84.9 | -28% |
The 10 locations below account for 20% of the crime recorded in Dewsbury West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (82).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 82 |
| On or near Crow Nest View | 67 |
| On or near Wroe Street | 66 |
| On or near Crescent Walk | 61 |
| On or near Russell Street | 58 |
| On or near Bradbury Street | 51 |
| On or near Lacey Street | 43 |
| On or near Hanover Gardens | 42 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 41 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 39 |
Of the 2,426 crimes in Dewsbury West with a recorded outcome, 28% 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 274 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 964 | 39.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 688 | 28.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 323 | 13.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 131 | 5.4% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 94 | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 94 | 3.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 46 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 33 | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 32 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Dewsbury West has an estimated population of 22,913 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (33%, against 18%), a younger population (8.8%, against 18.9%) and fewer retired residents (11%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dewsbury West average decile 1.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Dewsbury West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 26.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 8.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 11.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 32.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 28.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 24.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 57.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Dewsbury West a safe place to live?
Dewsbury West recorded 117.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 856th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Dewsbury West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,236 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (274).
Is crime in Dewsbury West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dewsbury West was down 13% on the year before: 2,700 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,097 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dewsbury West?
About 22,913 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 8.8% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dewsbury West?
Dewsbury West is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.